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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" came to light.

This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a chance to flee".

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the detention, the magistrate said data from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the former leader's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his offspring.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a assembly of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the chance of his move to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of planning to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The legal document highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brasilia, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist American leader Trump, leading him to impose a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

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

They also requested that Bolsonaro be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

The former president was determined responsible of heading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which encompassed plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the military leaders. His successor was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on the eighth of January, many his backers attacked and damaged public facilities in the federal district, Brasília.

The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, restore order and bring him back to power.

At the moment, the legal team called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

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

The former president called the trial a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.