Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.
The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in last fall and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.
High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after recent developments came to light.
This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could "allow for a possible escape.
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a paperwork permitting the arrest, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his escape.
This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio, who holds office as a legislator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.
The senator wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your country, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so backers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the judge's determination was the chance of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of organizing to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The judicial paperwork underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brasilia, is located around 13km from the former president's residence.
Worldwide Consequences
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative US President President Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will experience a detention review on the following day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.
They also asked that he be permitted to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate Lula and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing his judicial proceedings.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the military leaders. The current president was inaugurated without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of his backers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.
The security forces intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.
The justices found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the moment, the legal team called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also banned from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the legal proceedings a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 presidential election.
