Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was found guilty of planning a military coup in September and handed more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he continued under home detention pending appeals.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information emerged.
This encompassed seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a demonstration that could "allow for a potential flight.
Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns
In a paperwork permitting the arrest, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the tracking monitor to ensure success in his escape.
This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his son.
His son, his son Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a meeting of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on digital networks on the previous day: Will you battle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I invite you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of Bolsonaro's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.
The court filing emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around 13km from the former president's residence.
Worldwide Consequences
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will experience a detention review on the following day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with tracking devices.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be authorized to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.
Details of Guilty Verdict
He was found guilty of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plot which involved plans to assassinate the current president and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. The current president was took office without issue on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, Brasília.
The police 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 strategy, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.
At the time, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from running for public office until the year 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.
The former president called the trial a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the 2026 national vote.
