Brazil’s Supreme Court has mandated that former President Jair Bolsonaro wear an ankle monitor, remain at home during most hours, and avoid contact with foreign embassies due to his attempts to lobby former President Trump regarding his legal issues.
This development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Brazil and Mr. Trump concerning the legal proceedings against Mr. Bolsonaro, who faces potential imprisonment for allegedly attempting a coup following his defeat in the 2022 election.
Mr. Trump has threatened to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports starting August 1, expressing frustration over what he describes as a “witch hunt” against Mr. Bolsonaro.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has strongly opposed Mr. Trump’s interference, asserting that Mr. Bolsonaro must face justice and accusing the former U.S. president of violating Brazil’s sovereignty. He emphasized that Brazil will not yield to an American president he has labeled an “emperor.”
On Thursday night, Mr. Trump publicly stated that the charges against Mr. Bolsonaro should be dismissed. The following morning, Brazilian federal police conducted raids at Mr. Bolsonaro’s residence and office.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Brazilian Supreme Court, who has overseen investigations into Mr. Bolsonaro, ordered that the former president remain under house arrest during nights and weekends and prohibited him from contacting foreign ambassadors.
Mr. Bolsonaro’s attorney, Paulo Cunha Bueno, indicated that the court has also restricted the former president from using social media and communicating with his son, Eduardo, who is in Washington advocating for intervention from the Trump administration in his father’s case.
In a statement, Mr. Bolsonaro’s defense team expressed surprise and outrage at the new precautionary measures, asserting that he has complied with all judicial orders thus far.
Justice Moraes stated that the new restrictions were recommended by Brazil’s federal police and attorney general, citing Mr. Bolsonaro’s attempts to persuade Mr. Trump to influence the court to dismiss his charges. He emphasized that Brazil, as a sovereign nation, will defend its democracy and judiciary against external pressures.
The imposition of an ankle monitor was deemed necessary due to concerns that Mr. Bolsonaro could flee the country. Justice Moraes also noted that the former president had provided financial support to his son to assist in lobbying the U.S. government for tariffs on Brazil, aiming for “criminal impunity.”
Last month, Mr. Bolsonaro acknowledged in a deposition that he transferred over $350,000 to his son in May.
In a television interview on Friday, Mr. Bolsonaro claimed he had never considered fleeing Brazil but expressed disappointment over missing a planned lunch with ambassadors. He characterized the Supreme Court’s actions as persecution.
Reports from last year indicated that Mr. Bolsonaro sought asylum by staying at the Hungarian embassy for two nights in February 2024 after police searched his home and seized his passport as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Mr. Bolsonaro faces charges related to a conspiracy to retain power after his electoral defeat in 2022, including discussions to undermine the judiciary and grant special powers to the military.
Additionally, prosecutors allege that Mr. Bolsonaro was aware of a plot to assassinate President Lula, Justice Moraes, and the vice president-elect, an accusation he has denied.
While asserting that he never plotted a coup, Mr. Bolsonaro admitted to the Supreme Court last month that he and other officials considered various constitutional methods to maintain power.