Brazil's federal police have detained former president Jair Bolsonaro for violating court orders during his house arrest and to prevent "an attempted escape", according to a supreme court (STF) ruling.
STF said that it found "very serious evidence" that Bolsonaro — who was under strict house arrest following his conviction on charges of attempting a coup and sentenced to jail for 27 years and three months — was trying to escape. This included information that Bolsonaro would break his electronic ankle monitor and try to escape during "confusion caused by a demonstration called by his son". Bolsonaro's son, senator Flavio Bolsonaro, posted a video on social media on Friday calling on the former president's supporters to perform a vigil outside of his home to pray for Bolsonaro's health and "liberty in Brazil".
STF's decision also notes that Bolsonaro did not comply with orders to not use social media during his house arrest.
The detainment is a "preventative measure" and does not count towards his sentencing, according to the court.
STF said its decision to detain Bolsonaro was also motivated by three congressmen and Bolsonaro allies who fled the country: Alexandro Ramagem, Carla Zambelli and Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president's son.
Ramagem was also convicted of an attempted coup and sentenced to 16 years in jail, but fled to the US, according to STF.
Zambelli was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon, unlawful coercion, as well as hacking and inserting false documents into Brazil's national council of justice. She fled to Italy, where she was detained and is awaiting extradition.
Eduardo Bolsonaro will face trial before STF for coercion during the course of legal proceedings during his father's trial. The prosecutor general's office accused him of promoting "serious sanctions" against Brazil to dissuade STF from convicting his father for the coup plot.
Eduardo, who has been in the US since March, met with US president Donald Trump and was a vocal supporter of Trump imposing 50pc tariffs on Brazilian products. Trump mentioned the trial against the former president as one of the reasons for the tariffs, but some have since been lifted.
Jair Bolsonaro's defense attorney will appeal the arrest, saying that the former president's health is "delicate" and that "his imprisonment could put his life at risk."
Appeals to serve his sentence under house arrest — also based on Bolsonaro's health — have so far not come to fruition.
The former president has been hospitalized several times in the last year due to complications following a stabbing he suffered while campaigning in 2018.
