The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a military coup in the ninth month and sentenced more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.
High Court Judge the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" emerged.
This encompassed trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a public vigil that could enable a chance to flee".
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a filing authorising the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to ensure success in his flight.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his offspring.
His child, Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a gathering of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or see it all from your mobile device there on your settee? I urge you to struggle with us."
He said the gathering would be so supporters could "pray for his physical condition and for the return of democracy in our country."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the magistrate's decision was the potential of Bolsonaro's transfer to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of planning to seek refuge through a consular facility", a announcement said.
The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist US President President Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
He is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a imprisonment assessment on the following day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with tracking devices.
They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Background on Conviction
He was convicted of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.
The conspiracy was stopped because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. Lula was inaugurated without problem on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, the capital city.
The law enforcement stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.
The magistrates found that the protesters had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, bring back stability and bring him back to power.
At the period, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also barred from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.
The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
