A Brazilian judge on Monday escalated the dramatic standoff between the nation’s judiciary and former president Jair Bolsonaro by placing him under house arrest for violating a court-imposed social media ban. The measure intensifies the trial proceedings in which Bolsonaro is accused of plotting a coup to cling to power after losing the 2022 election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has spearheaded the investigation into Bolsonaro’s alleged coup attempt, reacted swiftly after Bolsonaro’s allies shared online footage from a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro. The video, which featured a recorded call between Bolsonaro and his eldest son Flavio, was a direct breach of the ban that prohibits the former president from using social media and restricts third parties from amplifying his public remarks.
Justice de Moraes criticized Bolsonaro’s “repeated failure” to comply with the court’s restrictions, stressing that no individual should be allowed to “treat it like a fool” because of their “political and economic power.”
In a series of stringent measures, the judge ordered that Bolsonaro remain under house arrest at his home in Brasilia, banned him from receiving visitors except for his legal team, and restricted his use of mobile phones, a crackdown underscored by the seizure of several devices by police.
The controversial ruling has generated international backlash. On Monday night, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs condemned the restrictions in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “Minister Alexandre de Moraes, already sanctioned by the United States for human rights violations, continues to use Brazilian institutions to silence the opposition and threaten democracy.
Let Bolsonaro speak!” the post declared. U.S. officials further warned that accountability would be pursued against all who facilitate what they termed “sanctioned conduct.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been an outspoken supporter of Bolsonaro, responded forcefully by banning de Moraes from the United States and freezing his assets held in U.S. banks, a move that has further polarized opinions in Brazil.
At rallies held across Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and São Paulo on Sunday, demonstrators branded these actions with signs reading “Thank you Trump” and waved U.S. flags in support of the former leader.
Bolsonaro, who faces a potential 40-year sentence if convicted, is on trial alongside seven co-accused for attempting to overturn the 2022 election results, a plot that ultimately failed when the military did not support his ambitions.
Despite being barred from future elections, he remains a significant figure within Brazil’s conservative base, hinting at a comeback in the 2026 presidential race even as his supporters recall past moments of unrest following Lula’s inauguration.
As the trial approaches its final stages, Brazil’s political landscape remains highly charged, with critics of the ruling process accusing the judiciary of undermining democracy, and Bolsonaro’s supporters decrying what they call politically motivated witch hunts.
Written By Rodney Mbua
