Tensions between the U.S. and Brazil have escalated following a stunning court decision against a former head of state.
Fox News reported that on Thursday, Brazil's Supreme Court sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to over 27 years in prison for allegedly orchestrating a coup to block President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking power in January 2023, prompting sharp criticism and promises of action from U.S. officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump.
The ruling came after Bolsonaro lost the 2022 election, with the court finding him guilty of attempting to subvert the democratic transition. His sentence totals 27 years and three months behind bars.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio swiftly condemned the decision, labeling it as an act of political vengeance. He pointed fingers at Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and other unnamed court members for what he described as unfair persecution.
Rubio also revealed that visa cancellations have been issued for Justice de Moraes, his close associates on the bench, and their families. This move followed earlier court actions against Bolsonaro, including search authorizations and restrictive orders in July.
Additionally, Rubio signaled that the U.S. intends to take further steps in reaction to the verdict, though he withheld specific details. The U.S. Treasury Department has already imposed penalties on de Moraes for alleged violations of rights and stifling free speech.
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a firm rebuttal to Rubio’s remarks, viewing them as an affront to national sovereignty. The ministry insisted that the nation’s democratic principles would stand firm against external pressure.
They also argued that Rubio’s comments disregarded the substantial proof presented in the legal proceedings against Bolsonaro. This clash highlights a growing rift between the two countries over the judicial outcome.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who shared a strong alliance with Bolsonaro during his first term, also voiced disapproval of Brazil’s legal system. Trump has previously warned of economic repercussions, including tariffs on Brazilian products, due to the ongoing case.
In July, Trump followed through by placing a 50% tariff on many Brazilian imports as a response to the perceived injustice against Bolsonaro. Certain goods, such as civilian aircraft components and passenger cars, were later excluded from this measure.
Bolsonaro’s son, Brazilian Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, expressed expectations of additional U.S. measures against Brazilian judicial figures post-conviction. He specifically mentioned the possibility of penalties under the Magnitsky Act, which was earlier applied to de Moraes by the Trump administration, in the following statement:
We are going to have a firm response with actions from the U.S. government against this dictatorship that is being installed in Brazil. If these Supreme Court justices keep following Moraes, they also run the risk of facing the same sanction.
The conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday for plotting a coup after the 2022 election, resulting in a lengthy 27-year-and-three-month prison term to hinder President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s inauguration in January 2023, has ignited a firestorm of international discord. U.S. leaders like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump have decried the ruling as biased, with actions already taken such as visa revocations for Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his associates, July tariffs on Brazilian goods (with some exemptions), and hints of further reprisals, while Brazil’s Foreign Ministry defends its judicial integrity, and Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro anticipates more sanctions, deepening the diplomatic strain between the nations.
