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A former Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been placed under house arrest after violating a social media ban, intensifying a tense conflict between the courts and the politician, who faces allegations of plotting a coup. Bolsonaro is currently on trial in the Supreme Court, accused of attempting to retain power following his 2022 election loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The United States has criticized Bolsonaro’s house arrest and has pledged to hold all responsible parties accountable. During the proceedings, Bolsonaro is prohibited from using social media, and third parties are not allowed to share his public statements. However, his supporters defied these restrictions on Sunday by sharing footage online of a call between Bolsonaro and his eldest son, Flavio, during a rally in Rio de Janeiro.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes expressed strong disapproval, stating that the judiciary would not tolerate Bolsonaro’s misuse of his influence or power. Due to ongoing non-compliance with court orders, Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to stay at his home in Brasília, restricted visitor access to his legal team, and prohibited him from using mobile phones. He warned that any further violations could result in detention. Police reportedly seized several phones from Bolsonaro’s residence on Monday.
The Biden administration condemned the new restrictions, with the State Department’s Western Hemisphere Affairs bureau criticizing Moraes’ use of judicial authority to silence opposition and threaten democracy. They called for Bolsonaro’s voice to be heard and warned they would hold accountable those involved in enforcing sanctions.
Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, actively shared the US government’s statements on social media, asserting that Brazil is no longer a democracy and criticizing Moraes as an “out-of-control psychopath.” Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro’s trial and has presented himself as a defender of democracy against the far-right, had previously ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle bracelet and restricted his media activity.
In response, Trump took the unprecedented step of barring Moraes from entering the U.S. and freezing his assets in American banks. Trump’s efforts to influence Brazil’s domestic politics have resonated with Bolsonaro’s conservative supporters, some of whom attended rallies brandishing U.S. flags and thanking Trump. Bolsonaro himself has remained in home confinement during the trial, which is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.
Prosecutors allege Bolsonaro and six others tried to overturn his 2022 defeat through a conspiracy that largely failed due to military inaction. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison. Following the unsuccessful attempt, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed Congress in January 2023, ransacking offices and confronting police—a scene reminiscent of the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years prior.
Despite being ineligible to run again, Bolsonaro aims for a political comeback in the 2026 presidential race, just as Lula, age 79, has hinted at a possible third term, health permitting, after recent hospitalization for a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall.
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