The former Brazilian president arrested after being considered a escape threat

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Bolsonaro has been arrested 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 armed takeover in the ninth month and handed more than over two decades in jail, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after fresh information were revealed.

This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the arrest, the magistrate said data from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your couch? I call on you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's determination was the potential of his transfer to embassies near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of organizing to request asylum through a consular facility", a announcement said.

The legal document underscores that the US embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in the capital and will undergo a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that the former president be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed frequent medical attention for pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the presidential race to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to murder the current president and his running partner, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was prevented because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.

The police took action and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The judges found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the time, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also prohibited from running for public office until 2060 - 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 designed to prevent him running in the next presidential race.

Vanessa Wagner
Vanessa Wagner

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