Brazil's federal police on Saturday arrested former president Jair Bolsonaro over suspicion he was plotting to escape and avoid starting a 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt.

The decision laid bare some of the country's divisions, with many uncorking Champagne outside the far-right leader's prison to celebrate as his supporters prepared a religious act in his favor.

In a dramatic and unexpected twist in the final stage of a long and divisive criminal trial, federal agents entered Bolsonaro's house early Saturday under the order of a Supreme Court Justice to take the former president to the headquarters of the country’s federal police in the capital, Brasilia.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the case on Bolsonaro’s attempt to keep the presidency after his defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, ordered the preemptive arrest after saying the far-right leader’s ankle monitor was violated at 12:08 a.m. on Saturday. His lawyers claimed in a statement that did not take place.

A report by custody agents released later in the day — and reviewed by The Associated Press — said Bolsonaro admitted using a soldering iron to try to open the device.

In a court video also seen by the AP, Bolsonaro is heard admitting such attempt. The footage shows the ankle monitor’s cap heavily damaged.

Bolsonaro, 70, who had been under house arrest, was ordered to wear the device after being deemed a flight risk.

His aide Andriely Cirino confirmed that the arrest took place around 6 a.m. on Saturday.

In the following hours, dozens of cars honked outside the federal police's headquarters as some Bolsonaro supporters protested.

Police have since tried to keep the small but fierce opposing sides separated.

AP video shot by: Lucas Dumphreys