🔗 Share this article The former Brazilian president detained after being deemed a escape threat The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement. The one-time leader was found guilty of plotting a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under confinement pending court reviews. High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" came to light. This involved attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could "allow for a possible escape. Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks In a filing authorising the custody, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his getaway". This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his son. His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening. His son wrote on social media on the previous day: Will you battle for your nation, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I call on you to struggle 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." Embassy Asylum Concerns Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the chance of Bolsonaro's "relocation to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a declaration said. The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from the former president's residence. International Reactions The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports. He is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the next day. Latest Court Petitions It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with digital surveillance. They also asked that he be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems. Background on Conviction The former president was determined responsible of orchestrating a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula. Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings. The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the support of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without problem on 1 January 2023. But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, Brasília. The police took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested. The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and bring him back to power. At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe". He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment. The former president called the court case a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.