Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention.
The ex-president was found guilty of orchestrating a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than a 27-year term in jail, but he continued under home detention pending legal challenges.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after recent developments came to light.
This encompassed attempting to break his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.
Judicial Records Show Flight Fears
In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the former leader's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a senator, called for a meeting of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."
He said the gathering would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the return of democracy in our nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of his transfer to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to request asylum through a consular facility", a statement said.
The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist American leader Trump, prompting him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
He is being kept in a Federal Police station in the capital and will have a detention review on the following day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with tracking devices.
They also petitioned that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he needed regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other health problems.
Details of Guilty Verdict
Bolsonaro was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plot which involved plans to assassinate the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on January 8th, numerous his backers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, Brazil's capital.
The security forces took action and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.
The justices found that the demonstrators had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
