The former Brazilian president arrested after being declared a flight risk

placeholder news image

The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was found guilty of planning a military coup in last fall and handed more than over two decades in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending appeals.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This involved attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his flight.

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

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a senator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.

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

He said the gathering would be so supporters could "pray for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to seek refuge through a consular facility", a statement said.

The court filing underscores that the US embassy in the capital, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also asked that the former president be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required ongoing care for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of orchestrating a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plot which encompassed plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was prevented because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the military leaders. The current president was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the federal district, Brasília.

The law enforcement took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The justices found that the protesters had been encouraged by him whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.

Jennifer Dennis
Jennifer Dennis

Interieurontwerper en meubelmaker met een passie voor duurzaam design.