Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a risk of fleeing

placeholder news image

Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was sentenced of plotting a armed takeover in last fall and given more than over two decades in incarceration, but he remained under confinement pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This encompassed seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a public vigil that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a document approving the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his flight.

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

His offspring, Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on online platforms on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your sofa? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the gathering would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's decision was the potential of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 13km from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Donald Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will experience a imprisonment assessment on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be allowed to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other health problems.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he failed to win the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

High Court judges said that he knew of a plot which involved plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the military leaders. Lula was inaugurated without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.

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

The judges found that the rioters had been provoked by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.

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

He was also banned from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.

Richard Salas
Richard Salas

Lorenzo is a seasoned poker player and analyst with over a decade of experience in live and online tournaments, sharing strategic insights.