Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was found guilty of planning a military coup in September and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under confinement pending legal challenges.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.
This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a document approving the custody, the judge said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's plan to remove the surveillance device to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, his son Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a meeting of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or see it all from your mobile device there on your couch? I call on you to battle with us."
He said the gathering would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the judge's ruling was the possibility of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.
The judicial paperwork highlights that the US embassy in the national capital, Brasilia, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.
Worldwide Consequences
His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, prompting him to implement a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
The former president is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.
They also asked that he be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he demanded ongoing care for lung conditions and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
He was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been presiding over the former president's case.
The scheme was prevented because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the armed forces officials. His successor was inaugurated without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on January 8th, many his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, Brasília.
The law enforcement took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.
The magistrates found that the protesters had been encouraged by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the period, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The ex-leader called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 presidential election.
