Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro, under house arrest, taken into custody

Former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is being tried on charges of attempted coup and was under house arrest in Brazil, has been taken into custody by police ahead of a planned protest by his supporters in front of his home. The court order authorizing the detention noted that the protest planned by the right-wing leader's supporters in front of Bolsonaro's home posed a risk that the former leader might flee. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes stated in the detention order, "The chaos that would be caused by the illegal gathering of the convict's supporters poses a high risk to house arrest and other precautionary measures, and could ultimately allow him to escape."

Moraes also stated in the order that there is evidence that Bolsonaro had tampered with his ankle tracking device the previous night. Moraes also noted that there is evidence that Bolsonaro had previously considered seeking asylum at the Argentine Embassy in Brazil. The order also pointed out that one of Bolsonaro's sons and some other close allies have left Brazil to evade the judiciary.

Moraes' decision will be submitted to the Supreme Court panel for approval on Monday.

"HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WHILE UNDER POLICE SURVEILLANCE"

Bolsonaro's lawyers also confirmed that the Brazilian right-wing leader had been taken into custody, explaining that the main justification for the court order was the support vigil planned in front of Bolsonaro's home. The lawyers stated, "Although there is talk of the existence of serious evidence regarding the possibility of Bolsonaro fleeing, the former President was taken into custody while at his home, with his electronic tracking device attached and under police surveillance."

While the lawyers announced that they plan to file an appeal, the Brazilian Federal Police announced that Bolsonaro underwent a detention admission examination in the capital, Brasilia, this morning.

"COME, FIGHT WITH US"

Former President Bolsonaro's son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, had issued a call for the support vigil planned before his father's detention, urging the public to gather in front of his father's residence. The Senator had said, "I invite you to fight with us. With the power of the people, with your power, we will return and save Brazil."

The right-wing Brazilian leader, who advocated for the military to have more control, did not accept defeat after losing the 2022 presidential election, in which he competed for a second term, to the current leftist Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva. Bolsonaro went to the US 2 days before Silva's inauguration ceremony during a period when his supporters were calling on the military to intervene, and this development was described as an "escape" by the local press.

Bolsonaro's supporters stormed the National Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Palace on January 8, 2023, in a manner similar to the US Capitol riot, and Bolsonaro's role in the violent events became a subject of debate. Bolsonaro was accused of attempting a coup and was charged during the trial process against him with holding meetings with generals in the military to "cancel the election results." Bolsonaro, for whom a 27-year and three-month prison sentence was requested this September on charges of attempted coup, did not have a finalized arrest warrant against him as the appeal process was ongoing.

US President Donald Trump had a close relationship with Bolsonaro while in office and had described the case against the Brazilian leader as a "witch hunt." Trump had imposed sanctions against Judge Moraes, who was presiding over the case, and had increased tariffs on some products imported from Brazil to 50 percent.