Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was found guilty of orchestrating a military coup in September and sentenced more than over two decades in prison, but he was staying under confinement pending legal challenges.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after fresh information emerged.
This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his flight.
This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the protest called by his child.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a legislator, called for a meeting of his supporters near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on social media on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or observe everything from your phone there on your couch? I urge you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's decision was the chance of his move to embassies near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a record of planning to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.
Worldwide Consequences
His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative US President President Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.
He is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a imprisonment assessment on the next day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Details of Guilty Verdict
The former president was found guilty of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which involved plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing the former president's case.
The plot was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the armed forces officials. Lula was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a following week, on January 8th, numerous his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.
The law enforcement stepped in and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.
The justices found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.
At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also barred from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
