The former Brazilian president taken into custody after being deemed a risk of fleeing

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Jair Bolsonaro 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 sentenced of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and given more than a 27-year term in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending appeals.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.

This involved seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the detention, the judge said intelligence from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.

His son, Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on online platforms on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your settee? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so supporters could "pray for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's decision was the possibility of Bolsonaro's "relocation to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to ask for protection through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The legal document underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist United States President Donald Trump, prompting him to implement a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will experience a detention review on the next day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he needed regular treatment for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was convicted of heading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a plot which encompassed plans to murder his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was stopped because it failed to get the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The security forces intervened and around 1,500 people were detained.

The magistrates found that the protesters had been encouraged by him whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.

The former president called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.

Lauren Rose
Lauren Rose

A professional organizer and lifestyle blogger passionate about minimalist living and sustainable home practices.