Washington, D.C. [U.S.], July 19 : The U.S. on Friday revoked the visa of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, overseeing the case against former president Jair Bolsonaro, in a sharp escalation of tensions between the two nations, The Washington Post reported.
The move follows Moraes's order restricting Bolsonaromandating an ankle monitor, barring foreign contacts, and house arrest outside daylight hoursafter accusations of seeking U.S. support to destabilize Brazil, The Washington Post said. Justice Moraes also barred Bolsonaro from contacting foreign governments and individuals under investigation, intensifying the scrutiny around Brazil's judicial handling of his case.
U.S. Secretary of State and current President Trump asserted that the visa revocation was a response to what he described as a "political witch hunt" against Bolsonaro, alleging it violated basic rights and overreached beyond Brazil's borders, according to The Washington Post. The sanctions reportedly also extend to Moraes's allies and their immediate families.
The unprecedented diplomatic spat comes amid a wider rift involving trade tensions. On July 9, President Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports, citing concerns over free speech suppression under Moraes's leadership, The Washington Post highlighted.
Moraes's campaign against online misinformationincluding the takedown of over a hundred social media accountshas sparked criticism from Bolsonaro supporters who claim the judge wields the Supreme Court as a tool for political persecution, The Washington Post added. The judge accuses Bolsonaro and his son, Congressman Eduardo, of conspiring with foreign powers to intimidate Brazil's judiciary, a charge Eduardo described as a continuation of a pattern of authoritarian behavior.
Legal analysts expressed skepticism about the U.S. invoking the Magnitsky Acta sanction tool targeting human rights abusesin this context, calling its use against Moraes questionable, The Washington Post reported. Despite the brewing confrontation, it remains unclear how many foreign nations Moraes visits or whether the visa revocation will significantly impact him personally.
Tensions continue as both countries dig in. Bolsonaro and his supporters have amplified their efforts to seek further U.S. intervention, including sanctions under the Magnitsky framework. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned Bolsonaro's allies domestically, calling them traitors to national interests.
The dispute underscores deepening discord between Brazil and its longstanding ally, the U.S., with political, trade and judicial disagreements showing little sign of resolution.
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