🔗 Share this article Bolsonaro detained after being declared a risk of fleeing The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention. The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and handed more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews. Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments were revealed. This involved seeking to disable his tracking device and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could enable a potential flight. Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns In a document approving the detention, the judge said data from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his flight. This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son. His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend. Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to struggle with us." He said the demonstration would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the return of democracy in our land." Foreign Shelter Risks Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of the former president's "relocation to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a background of planning to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said. The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is located around 13km from his dwelling. Worldwide Consequences The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist US President President Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods. Bolsonaro is being held in a national police facility in Brasilia and will have a imprisonment assessment on the next day. Latest Court Petitions It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices. They also requested that he be allowed to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he required ongoing care for lung conditions and other ailments. Background on Conviction Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the 2022 election to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial. The conspiracy was stopped because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023. But a week later, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers invaded and destroyed official structures in the capital, Brazil's capital. The security forces took action and around 1,500 people were detained. The judges found that the rioters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, bring back stability and return him to office. At the period, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh. He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment. The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the next presidential race.