Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president convicted of plotting a coup, has blamed medicine-induced paranoia for damage he caused to his ankle monitor - a day after he was removed from house arrest into detention.
At a hearing in Brasília, he admitted trying to open the monitor with a soldering iron on Friday until he came to his senses, court documents show. He said he had had no intention of fleeing.
Officials say the right-wing politician, 70, was taken into custody because he was a flight risk ahead of a supporters' vigil outside his home. He will remain in detention.
In September, Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for the coup plot.
Bolsonaro is being held in a police station in the capital.
His legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The Supreme Court justices determined that Bolsonaro had knowledge of a plot that included plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, and to arrest a justice overseeing his trial.
Support for Bolsonaro dwindled as a conspiracy failed to get backing from military leaders, leading to Lula's uncontroversial inauguration in January 2023.
However, a week later, thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed Brazilian government buildings, resulting in widespread arrests.
The justices found that Bolsonaro had encouraged these rioters, intending for military intervention to return him to power.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bolsonaro has been barred from running for any public office until 2060, after which he may apply to re-enter politics.
He has characterized the trial as a witch hunt aimed at eliminating his prospects for the 2026 presidential election.
