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Brazil's Supreme Court ruled that former President Jair Bolsonaro must remain under house arrest ahead of his trial for an alleged coup plot, underscoring the court's determination despite escalating tariffs and sanctions from US President Donald Trump.
Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who was placed under sanctions by the US Treasury last week, issued the arrest warrant against Bolsonaro. His decision cited the failure to comply with restraining orders he had imposed on Bolsonaro for allegedly inciting Trump's interference in the case.
Bolsonaro is on trial before the Supreme Court on charges that he conspired with allies to violently overturn his 2022 election loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Trump has called the case a “witch hunt” and called it the basis for a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods that takes effect on Wednesday.
The US State Department condemned the house arrest measure, saying Moraes was using Brazilian institutions to silence the opposition and threaten democracy, adding that the US would "hold accountable all those who aid and abet the sanctioned conduct".
Trump has warned that the US could impose even higher tariffs on Brazilian imports.
Monday's order from Moraes also banned Bolsonaro from using a cell phone or receiving visits, except from his lawyers and people authorized by the court.
A press representative for Bolsonaro confirmed that he was placed under house arrest on Monday evening at his residence in Brasilia by police, who seized his mobile phone.
Bolsonaro's lawyers said in a statement that they will appeal the decision, arguing that the former president had not violated any court order.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Bolsonaro called Moraes a "dictator" and said the restrictive orders against him were acts of "cowardice."
Some Bolsonaro allies have worried that Trump's tactics could backfire in Brazil, adding to Bolsonaro's problems and rallying public support for Lula's leftist government.
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