The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The ex-president was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and handed more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under confinement pending legal challenges.
High Court Judge the presiding justice said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.
This included attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks
In a filing authorising the custody, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to ensure success in his escape.
This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his son.
His child, his son Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a meeting of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.
His son wrote on online platforms on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to battle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's ruling was the chance of the former president's transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is located around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist American leader President Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.
The former president is being held in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will experience a imprisonment assessment on the following day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with tracking devices.
They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a plot aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.
High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plan which involved plans to murder his opponent 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 didn't receive the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was inaugurated without issue on 1 January 2023.
But a following week, on the eighth of January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.
The police took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.
The judges found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, reestablish control and bring him back to power.
At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The ex-leader called the court case a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the next presidential race.