The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a military coup in September and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.
This encompassed trying to remove his ankle monitor and a call for a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns
In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to ensure success in his flight.
This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a senator, called for a gathering of his supporters near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the magistrate's decision was the possibility of Bolsonaro's "relocation to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of planning to ask for protection through a consular facility", a declaration said.
The court filing emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist American leader President Trump, prompting him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a detention review on the following day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be permitted to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of heading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the national vote to his ideological adversary, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plot which involved plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been managing the former president's case.
The scheme was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was took office without issue on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his followers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, Brasília.
The law enforcement took action and around 1,500 people were detained.
The judges found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, reestablish control and return him to office.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from running for public office until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.
The ex-leader called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 presidential election.
