In a significant legal development, Brazil’s Supreme Court has mandated that former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro be placed under house arrest. This decision comes as Bolsonaro faces trial over accusations of conspiring to orchestrate a coup, a charge he vehemently denies.
Judge’s rationale and Bolsonaro’s response
Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the investigation into Bolsonaro, justified the ruling by pointing to the former president’s failure to adhere to previously imposed restraining orders. Following the announcement, Bolsonaro’s legal representatives refuted the notion of any infringement, stating they would seek to contest the court’s ruling.
In a statement on X, the US State Department expressed its condemnation of the court order, asserting it would hold accountable those facilitating such conduct.
In the backdrop of this legal saga, former U.S. President Donald Trump has labeled Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch-hunt.” He has utilized this situation to justify imposing 50% tariffs on select Brazilian imports, despite the U.S. maintaining a trade surplus with Brazil.
Allegations of incitement and public support
Judge de Moraes, who has also faced sanctions from the U.S., indicated that Bolsonaro had exploited social media platforms, utilizing the accounts of his allies, including his sons, to disseminate messages that incited attacks on the Supreme Court and proposed foreign interference in Brazil’s judiciary. On Sunday, several pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations took place in various Brazilian cities, during which Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio, who serves as a senator, briefly connected his father via speakerphone to address the crowd in Rio de Janeiro. Subsequently, Flávio reportedly shared a video of his father communicating with supporters, only to delete the post shortly thereafter.
Judge de Moraes referenced this incident in his ruling, asserting that Bolsonaro had “deliberately flouted” the previously established restrictions. The ruling highlighted the blatant disregard for preventive measures, noting that Flávio Bolsonaro’s actions to erase the post were an attempt to conceal a legal violation.
In addition to house arrest, de Moraes has prohibited Bolsonaro from receiving visitors, except for lawyers or individuals authorized by the Supreme Court, and has restricted his use of mobile devices, whether directly or indirectly through others. “Justice is blind, but it is not foolish,” remarked de Moraes, emphasizing that the court would not allow a defendant to evade accountability due to their political and economic status.
These stringent measures were enacted amid claims that Bolsonaro was encouraging Trump to intervene in the case. It is worth noting that Bolsonaro and Trump shared a cordial relationship during their respective presidencies, having met at the White House in 2019. Recently, Trump expressed his support for Bolsonaro on social media, declaring him “not guilty of anything” and commending him as a “strong leader” who “truly loved his country.”