The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The ex-president was sentenced of planning a military coup in September and handed more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.
High Court Judge the presiding justice said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.
This encompassed seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a chance to flee".
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a document approving the custody, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or see it all from your phone there on your couch? I urge you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of Bolsonaro's "relocation to foreign missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.
The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the capital, Brazil's capital, is located around 8 miles from the former president's residence.
International Reactions
His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative United States President President Trump, leading him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
The former president is being held in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will undergo a custody hearing on the following day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be permitted to depart his residence for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other health problems.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the army and air force commanders. Lula was inaugurated without incident on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the national capital, the capital city.
The security forces intervened and around 1,500 people were detained.
The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the moment, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the next presidential race.
