A Brazilian Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes, has threatened to detain former President Jair Bolsonaro for breaching a ban on appearing in audios, videos, and interviews shared on social media. According to Justice Moraes, Bolsonaro could face “immediate imprisonment” unless his lawyers provide a satisfactory explanation within 24 hours for his appearance in a video shared by his son, Eduardo, on Monday.
The restrictions imposed on Bolsonaro include a night-time and weekend curfew, 24-hour surveillance, and an electronic ankle tag, aimed at preventing him from fleeing the country while on trial. Additionally, Bolsonaro is barred from contacting foreign governments and their embassies in Brazil, as well as communicating with his son Eduardo, who has been lobbying on his father’s behalf in the United States. Bolsonaro has insisted that he has never considered leaving Brazil and has called Justice Moraes a “dictator”.
Justice Moraes had clarified that the restrictions not only prohibit Bolsonaro from appearing in content he himself shares on social media but also in content shared or published by third parties. Despite this, Bolsonaro spoke to journalists after meeting opposition lawmakers, showing them his electronic ankle tag and referring to it as “a symbol of the utmost humiliation”. This interaction was shared on social media by Eduardo Bolsonaro and supporters of his father, which Moraes considers a breach of the imposed restrictions.
Bolsonaro is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office in 2023, charges he denies. The trial is being closely followed by US President Donald Trump, who has denounced it as a “witch hunt”. Trump and Bolsonaro are long-time allies, and Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, citing Brazil’s treatment of Bolsonaro. In response to the restrictions imposed on Bolsonaro, the Trump administration revoked the US visa of Moraes and other Supreme Court justices, prompting President Lula to denounce “the interference of one country in another’s justice system”.
The tension between the two governments escalated further with Trump’s threat, prompting Brazil to vow to match US tariffs. The situation highlights the complex and strained relations between Brazil and the US under their current leadership.