Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being considered a risk of fleeing

placeholder news image

Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in September and handed more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under confinement pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" were revealed.

This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a summons to a demonstration that could enable a chance to flee".

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the custody, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his child.

His son, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on social media on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers could offer prayers for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's decision was the possibility of Bolsonaro's transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a history of organizing to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 8 miles from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist American leader Donald Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.

Bolsonaro is being kept in a Federal Police station in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he needed frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was convicted of leading a plot aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the national vote to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The conspiracy was stopped because it couldn't obtain the backing of the military leaders. His successor was inaugurated without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, many Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.

The security forces took action and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The magistrates found that the rioters had been provoked by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.

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

He was also barred from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the legal proceedings a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the next presidential race.

Timothy Ramirez
Timothy Ramirez

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in software development and emerging technologies.