Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro -- under house arrest while he appeals a conviction for a foiled coup attempt -- was taken into custody Saturday after the Supreme Court deemed him a high flight risk.

The court said the far-right firebrand -- who was sentenced to 27 years in prison over a scheme to stop leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office after the 2022 elections -- had attempted to disable his ankle monitor in order to flee.

Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes said Bolsonaro's detention was a preventive measure as final appeals play out.

In a video made public by the court, Bolsonaro admitted that he had used a soldering iron on the monitoring bracelet out of "curiosity." The video showed the device badly damaged and burned, but still on his ankle.

The 70-

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