Brazil Judge Orders House Arrest for Former President

A Brazilian judge on Monday placed former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest after he violated a court-ordered social media ban.

The move escalates the ongoing legal battle between Bolsonaro and the judiciary over allegations that he plotted to hold onto power after losing the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the order, citing Bolsonaro’s repeated violations of court-imposed restrictions.

As part of the ruling, Bolsonaro is barred from receiving visitors, except for his lawyers, and from using any mobile devices.

Police confirmed they seized multiple phones from his home in Brasília on Monday.

Bolsonaro, 70, is on trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly conspiring with allies to overturn the 2022 election results.

Prosecutors say the plan only failed because the military refused to support it.

He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

In defiance of the social media ban, Bolsonaro’s supporters shared a video on Sunday showing a phone call between the former president and his son Flavio Bolsonaro during a rally in Rio de Janeiro.

Justice Moraes responded swiftly, stating that the court would not allow Bolsonaro to “treat it like a fool” due to his “political and economic power.”

The case has drawn international attention. On Monday night, the U.S. State Department condemned the house arrest and restrictions.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs accused Justice Moraes of using the legal system to suppress political opposition and democracy.

“Let Bolsonaro speak,” the U.S. government stated, warning that it would hold accountable anyone assisting in what it described as sanctioned misconduct.

Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo, a politician, praised the U.S. response and reposted it online.

He also declared that “Brazil is no longer a democracy” and called Justice Moraes “an out-of-control psychopath.”

Tensions with the U.S. have grown. President Donald Trump recently imposed steep tariffs on Brazilian imports, calling Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch hunt.”

Trump also sanctioned Justice Moraes, banned him from entering the U.S., and froze his assets.

At rallies in Rio, São Paulo, and Brasília, Bolsonaro’s supporters waved U.S. flags and held signs thanking Trump.

Bolsonaro didn’t attend due to a separate court order requiring him to remain at home during nights and weekends.

The January 2023 riots in Brasília continue to shadow Bolsonaro’s legal troubles.

After Lula’s inauguration, his supporters stormed the National Congress, damaged government buildings, and clashed with police events that mirrored the U.S. Capitol riot two years earlier.

Though barred from running for office, Bolsonaro hopes to stage a Trump-style political comeback in Brazil’s 2026 presidential election.

Meanwhile, Lula, 79, has hinted he may seek a fourth term if his health allows.

He was hospitalized last year after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall.

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