Bolsonaro placed under house arrest, heightening Brazil-US tensions
Trump administration lashes Supreme Court justice who ordered house arrest of former president
Brazil’s Supreme Court put former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest on Monday ahead of his trial for an alleged coup plot, underscoring the court’s resolve despite escalating tariffs and sanctions from US President Donald Trump.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the target of US Treasury sanctions last week, issued the arrest order against Bolsonaro. His decision cited a failure to comply with restraining orders he had imposed on Bolsonaro for allegedly courting Trump’s interference in the case.
Bolsonaro is on trial before the Supreme Court on charges he conspired with allies to violently overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Trump has referred to the case as a “witch hunt” and called it grounds for a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods taking effect on Wednesday.
The US State Department condemned the house arrest order, saying Moraes was using Brazilian institutions to silence opposition and threaten democracy, adding the US would “hold accountable all those aiding and abetting sanctioned conduct”.
It did not provide details, though Trump has said the US could still impose even higher tariffs on Brazilian imports.