Brazil’s Supreme Court has placed former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest, marking a serious development in the ongoing legal case related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2022 presidential election.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Placed Under House Arrest
The arrest was ordered on Monday by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who said Bolsonaro violated previous restraining orders issued by the court.
The court accused Bolsonaro of conspiring with allies to challenge his loss to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and attempting to involve former U.S. President Donald Trump in the matter. As a result, Bolsonaro is now facing trial at the Supreme Court.
Justice Moraes stated that Bolsonaro had repeatedly disobeyed the court’s orders, which included limits on communication and political activity. The Monday order placed Bolsonaro under house arrest, banned him from using a cell phone, and restricted visits to only lawyers and individuals pre-approved by the court.
Police carried out the house arrest operation at Bolsonaro’s Brasilia residence, where they also seized his phone. Bolsonaro’s representatives confirmed the arrest and said it took place on Monday evening.
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Bolsonaro’s legal team announced that they would appeal the house arrest, saying their client had not broken any rules set by the court. However, Moraes emphasized in his ruling that Bolsonaro had been trying to bypass the court’s decisions.
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The house arrest order came just days after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes. These sanctions, issued under the Magnitsky Act, accuse the judge of misusing Brazil’s legal system to suppress freedom of expression and detain political opponents without due process.
President Donald Trump responded to these developments by labeling Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch hunt.” He used this as justification for a new 50% tariff on Brazilian goods. Consequently, Trump’s tariff will take effect on Wednesday, escalating the already strained relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department condemned Bolsonaro’s house arrest and accused the Brazilian judiciary of targeting political opposition. Officials stated they would continue monitoring the situation and vowed to hold accountable anyone involved in unjust actions.
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In addition, Trump shared a letter of support for Bolsonaro, expressing concern over what he called the mistreatment of his ally. In the letter, Trump demanded an immediate end to the trial, clearly aligning himself with Bolsonaro.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a congressman, relocated to the United States to rally political support for his father in Washington. He claimed this move influenced Trump’s tariff decisions. After Monday’s developments, Eduardo referred to Moraes as “out of control and reckless.”
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The decision to place Bolsonaro under house arrest follows a two-year investigation into his role in a movement that tried to undermine Brazil’s election results. The movement reached a breaking point in January 2023, when Bolsonaro supporters violently stormed key government buildings in Brasilia.
In response to those events and other legal issues, Brazil’s electoral court has already banned Bolsonaro from holding public office until 2030. The house arrest further restricts his political activities and fuels tension among his right-wing supporters.
Despite the legal limitations, Bolsonaro remains a key political figure. Over the weekend, his supporters organized the largest protest in months. At one protest in Rio de Janeiro, Bolsonaro appeared virtually by calling his son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Many saw this as an attempt to evade court orders, possibly prompting the house arrest order.
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Justice Moraes wrote in his judgment, “Justice is blind, but not foolish,” referring to Bolsonaro’s repeated attempts to dodge the court’s restrictions.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro accused Moraes of acting out of revenge, especially after facing U.S. sanctions. He told CNN Brasil that the arrest order was a “clear display of vengeance,” and urged Brazil’s Supreme Court to rein in Moraes.
Experts like Graziella Testa, a political science professor at the Federal University of Parana, believe Bolsonaro is intentionally provoking escalation. Another analyst, Leonardo Barreto from the Think Policy consultancy, noted that the house arrest could be seen as a reaction to international pressure, including the recent sanctions.