Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention.
The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in last fall and given more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.
This encompassed attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.
Court Filing Details Flight Fears
In a filing authorising the detention, the magistrate said intelligence from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His son, Flávio, who holds office as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.
The senator wrote on online platforms on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or watch it all from your phone there on your couch? I call on you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the return of democracy in our country."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of his transfer to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a background of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The judicial paperwork underscores that the United States embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to implement a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.
He is being kept in a national police facility in the capital and will undergo a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices.
They also requested that he be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for lung conditions and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
He was found guilty of leading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which included plans to murder his opponent and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.
The conspiracy was stopped because it couldn't obtain the support of the army and air force commanders. Lula was took office without problem on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged government buildings in the capital, Brasília.
The law enforcement took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.
The magistrates found that the rioters had been incited by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and bring him back to power.
At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.
