The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The former head of state was found guilty of plotting a military coup in September and given more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under home detention pending appeals.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.
This included trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.
Judicial Records Show Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His son, Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a meeting of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or watch it all from your phone there on your settee? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a background of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, the capital city, is located around 13km from his dwelling.
Worldwide Consequences
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.
He is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will have a detention review on Sunday.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that he be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.
Details of Guilty Verdict
Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which included plans to assassinate Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing the former president's case.
The scheme was stopped because it couldn't obtain the backing of the military leaders. The current president was took office without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a week later, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the capital, the capital city.
The law enforcement stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.
The justices found that the demonstrators had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and return him to office.
At the period, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.
He was also banned from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.
The one-time head of state called the court case a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the 2026 presidential election.
