The United States slapped sanctions on Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes after accusing him of breaching human rights and calling for “unfair” pre-trial detentions and restrictions on free speech.
Washington sanctioned the judge under the Global Magnitsky Act, by which the U.S. can punish foreign individuals linked to human rights violations or corruption.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier warned de Moraes, who is heading the case against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on the charges of plotting a coup to remove incumbent President Lula da Silva, of sanctions.
Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro Are Political Allies
US President Donald Trump had called the case against Bolsonaro a “witch hunt.” Notably, Bolsonaro is a political ally of Donald Trump, as their political ideologies are similar, experts say.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Moraes of running a campaign of censorship and ordering arrests that violate basic rights. He said Moraes was acting like “judge and jury” in a political investigation targeting both American and Brazilian individuals and companies.
Bessent also claimed that Moraes’s actions were part of a broader effort to silence Bolsonaro and others on the right. Recently, Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor and banned him from using social media, saying he tried to get Trump’s help to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election results.
Brazil Is Yet to Respond to US sanctions
So far, Moraes and Brazil’s Supreme Court have not commented on the sanctions.
Earlier in July, the U.S. also banned visas for Moraes, his family, and other unnamed court officials. This move increased tensions between the two countries. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva strongly criticized the U.S. actions, calling them “arbitrary” and a violation of Brazil’s sovereignty. He said no country has the right to interfere with Brazil’s legal system.
The visa restrictions followed court orders in Brazil that targeted Bolsonaro and his allies. Bolsonaro has denied trying to carry out a coup but admitted attending meetings about reversing the election results.
In mid-July, Trump also announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1. In his announcement, he again criticized the legal action against Bolsonaro.
