Brazil Court places ex-President under house arrest amid coup plot trial

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has placed former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for violating a social media ban while on trial for allegedly plotting to overturn his 2022 election loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the restriction after Bolsonaro’s allies posted online footage of a video call between him and his son Flavio during a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, defying a court order that bans the former leader from using social media or having his statements shared by third parties during the ongoing proceedings.

De Moraes accused the former president of showing “repeated failure” to comply with the court’s restrictions and said Bolsonaro would not be allowed to treat the judiciary with contempt, regardless of his political or economic influence.

In addition to the house arrest, Bolsonaro has been barred from using mobile phones or receiving visitors apart from his legal team.

Brazilian police confirmed they seized multiple mobile devices from Bolsonaro’s home in the capital, Brasilia, on Monday.

Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2022, faces accusations of attempting to cling to power after losing the 2022 presidential election.

Prosecutors allege he and seven others tried to stage a coup that ultimately failed due to the military’s refusal to back the plan.

If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison. The trial is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.

The United States swiftly condemned the move, with the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs posting on X (formerly Twitter) that Justice de Moraes, already under US sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, is “using Brazilian institutions to silence the opposition and threaten democracy.”

The post added, “Let Bolsonaro speak,” and warned of consequences for those facilitating Moraes’ actions.

Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo, who has played a key role in lobbying US officials, reposted the US statement and declared, “Brazil is no longer a democracy.” He also labeled Moraes “an out-of-control psychopath.”

The tensions have further deepened following US ex-president Donald Trump’s intervention last month, in which he imposed sanctions on Justice Moraes, freezing his US-based assets and banning him from entry to the United States.

Trump has described the charges against Bolsonaro as a political witch hunt, akin to the legal challenges he faces at home.

At rallies across Rio, Brasília, and São Paulo on Sunday, Bolsonaro’s supporters praised Trump’s backing, waving US flags and holding signs that read “Thank you Trump,” despite Bolsonaro’s absence due to a court order confining him to his residence at night and on weekends.

The former president, though barred from running for office, has signaled his intention to stage a political comeback similar to Trump’s, aiming for the 2026 elections.

President Lula, 79, has not ruled out running for a fourth term, though his health remains a consideration following a previous hospitalization for a brain hemorrhage.

The political crisis continues to spark fierce debate over democratic norms and judicial independence in Brazil, as Bolsonaro’s legal battles unfold under intense international scrutiny.