The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The former head of state was convicted of planning a government overthrow in last fall and given more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.
High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a precautionary step after fresh information emerged.
This encompassed attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a demonstration that could "allow for a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a document approving the custody, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be assisted by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a senator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or see it all from your mobile device there on your settee? I call on you to fight with us."
He said the demonstration would be so supporters could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the judge's determination was the potential of his transfer to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a statement said.
The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.
The former president is being detained in a national police facility in Brasilia and will have a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
The former president was found guilty of heading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which included plans to assassinate Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.
The scheme was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the support of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without incident on the first day of 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the capital, the capital city.
The security forces stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.
The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also banned from running for public office until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.
The former president called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
