US Sanctions Brazilian Supreme Court To Protect Bolsonaro

The US government has revoked the visas of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and seven other Brazillian Supreme Court Judges in response to court orders against former President Jair Bolsonaro. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Moraes’ actions constitute a “political witch hunt” against Bolsonaro, prompting immediate visa revocations.

According to Rubio, Moraes’ measures against Bolsonaro “not only violates basic rights of Brazilians but also extends beyond Brazil’s shores to target Americans”. The court orders against Bolsonaro include search warrants, restraining orders, and restrictions on his communications and movements, due to allegations that he sought assistance from former US President Donald Trump to influence Brazilian judicial processes.

Bolsonaro who was called ‘the Trump of the Tropics’ while in office, is also facing trial for allegedly planning a coup to prevent his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, from taking office. This stems from riots that occurred on January 8, 2023, when Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed and ransacked key government buildings in Brasilia, including the Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace. The rioters demanded military intervention to remove Lula from office or reinstate Bolsonaro.

Moraes described the restrictive measures as necessary given Bolsonaro’s attempts to engage a foreign leader in Brazil’s judicial matters.

“I feel supreme humiliation,” Bolsonaro said about wearing an ankle monitor imposed by the court. He also called Moraes a “dictator” and condemned the actions against him. The White House weighed in on the case, with spokesperson Anna Kelly defending Bolsonaro and stating that “Bolsonaro and his supporters are under attack from a weaponized court system”.

The US decision to revoke visas for Moraes and his colleagues has drawn criticism from President Lula, who denounced the move as “yet another arbitrary and completely baseless measure by the United States government”. Lula added that “the interference of one country in another’s justice system is unacceptable and violates the basic principles of respect and sovereignty between nations”.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods effective August 1, which Moraes believes is aimed at creating an economic crisis in Brazil to interfere with its judicial system. Bolsonaro expressed a desire to meet with Trump once legal and logistical barriers are resolved