Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in last fall and sentenced more than a 27-year term in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending appeals.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.
This included seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.
His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a legislator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.
His son wrote on social media on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your settee? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the gathering would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the magistrate's determination was the chance of his move to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of organizing to seek refuge through a consular facility", a declaration said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.
International Reactions
The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative US President Donald Trump, leading him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
The former president is being kept in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that the former president be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for lung conditions and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
He was determined responsible of orchestrating a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the national vote to his political opponent, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to assassinate Lula and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.
The plot was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.
But a week later, on the eighth of January, many Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised government buildings in the national capital, Brazil's capital.
The security forces intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.
The justices found that the rioters had been incited by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.
