Brazilian Supreme Court Orders Bolsonaro’s House Arrest

On Monday, the Supreme Court of Brazil mandated that former President Jair Bolsonaro remain under house arrest as his trial continues.

Bolsonaro faces legal repercussions for allegedly attempting to orchestrate a coup after losing the 2022 election to Luis Inácio Lula da Silva.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes has accused Bolsonaro, a known ally of Donald Trump, of using his sons’ social media platforms to target the nation’s highest courts, which breaches legal regulations.

Moraes stated that Bolsonaro’s covert involvement in preparing content for protests and social media clearly indicates he is engaged in illegal activities aimed at undermining the federal judiciary while disregarding past restrictions.

Over the weekend, Bolsonaro participated in demonstrations across Brazil via telephone. His legal team argued that his remarks did not violate any court mandates.

During the protests, he reportedly said, “Hello, Copacabana, my Brazilian friends, hugs for everyone, this is for our freedom.”

The U.S. State Department’s Western Hemisphere office expressed support for Bolsonaro, criticizing Moraes’ latest orders. They stated, “It’s not a public service to impose further restrictions on Jair Bolsonaro’s ability to engage publicly. Let Bolsonaro speak!”

This statement came in the wake of Donald Trump establishing 50% tariffs and Moraes’ ruling from last week, which followed Bolsonaro’s characterization of the trial as a “witch hunt.”

Despite the backlash from the Trump administration, Brazil’s judicial proceedings continue. In an opinion on Monday, Moraes asserted that Bolsonaro leveraged social media to connect with other co-defendants.

He noted that restrictions on social media usage cannot be bypassed through illegal means, stating that these “digital militia” schemes enable ongoing unlawful activities.