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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The ex-president was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he continued under confinement pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information were revealed.

This included attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the custody, the magistrate said information from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his getaway".

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His child, Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a gathering of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on digital networks on Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your settee? I call on you to battle 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."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of the former president's transfer to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.

The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, causing him to impose a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

He is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that he be authorized to leave his home for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other ailments.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a scheme which encompassed plans to kill his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been managing the former president's case.

The plot was stopped because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the armed forces officials. The current president was inaugurated without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.

The police stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The magistrates found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the moment, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the next presidential race.