Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered by a court to wear an electronic ankle bracelet, placed under curfew, and banned from using social media. These restrictions were imposed due to fears that the politician might flee the country amid a judicial investigation into his attempted coup. This is reported by UNN with reference to the BBC.
Details
Bolsonaro, who was in power from 2019-22, is accused of preparing a coup to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office in 2023. In turn, he denies any wrongdoing.
Speaking in court in June, Bolsonaro stated that a coup is a "vile thing" and that there was "never any talk of a coup" between him and his military commanders.
On Friday, police, by order of the Supreme Court, searched the ex-president's home and political headquarters.
The former president will be under round-the-clock surveillance and will have to observe a night curfew
Judge Alexandre de Moraes also ruled to "prohibit Bolsonaro from using social media and communicating with his son Eduardo Bolsonaro," who lobbied for his interests in the US, as well as with foreign ambassadors, diplomats, or embassies. Judge Moraes stated that Bolsonaro acted intentionally and illegally with his son Eduardo to impose sanctions against Brazilian public officials.
Bolsonaro, however, stated that the judicial restrictions are the "highest humiliation" and that he never considered leaving Brazil. In their statement, Bolsonaro's lawyers expressed "surprise and indignation" at the court's decision, adding that the former president "has always complied with court orders."
According to federal police, Bolsonaro "tried to obstruct judicial proceedings and resorted to actions constituting coercion, obstruction of justice, and an attack on national sovereignty."
US Pressure
Last week, Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods starting August 1, directly citing Brazil's treatment of Bolsonaro.
On Thursday, Trump posted a letter on Truth Social that he sent to Bolsonaro, stating that the criminal case was political persecution and that his tariff threat was aimed at pressuring Brazilian authorities to drop the charges.
On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he had ordered the "immediate cancellation of visas for Moraes and his allies in the court, as well as their immediate relatives." Lula responded that he would "match any tariffs imposed by the US against Brazil." In a post on X, the president stated that Brazil is a "sovereign country with independent institutions" and "no one is above the law."
Attempted coup
Bolsonaro lost the presidential election to his leftist rival Lula in 2022. Bolsonaro never publicly conceded defeat. Many of his supporters camped for weeks outside army barracks, trying to persuade the military to prevent Lula from being sworn in. A week after Lula's inauguration, on January 8, 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace, which federal investigators said was an attempted coup.
Bolsonaro was in the US at the time and always denied any connection to the rioters. A federal investigation into the riots and the events preceding them was launched. Investigators later stated that they found evidence of a "criminal organization" that "acted in a coordinated manner" to keep then-President Bolsonaro in power.
Brazilian Attorney General Paulo Gonet accused Bolsonaro of not only knowing but also directing those who, he said, sought to overthrow Lula.
Addendum
Bolsonaro is on trial along with seven defendants in connection with the events that culminated in the storming of government buildings by his supporters a week after Lula's inauguration in January 2023.
All are charged with five counts: attempted coup, participation in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent overthrow of democratic rule of law, causing serious damage, and deterioration of architectural monuments.
If Bolsonaro is found guilty, the 70-year-old could face a decade in prison. The former president has consistently denied the charges against him, calling them "serious and unfounded" and claiming to be a victim of "political persecution" aimed at preventing him from running for president again in 2026.