The U.S. has imposed travel visa restrictions on several top Brazilian judicial officials and their families in response to what Secretary of State Marco Rubio called a “political witch-hunt” against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Announcing the sanctions on Friday, Rubio directly accused Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes of orchestrating a campaign of “persecution and censorship” that violates the rights of Brazilians and even targets U.S. citizens.
“I have therefore ordered visa revocations for Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members, effective immediately,” Rubio declared. While no list of names was provided, Brazilian daily O Globo reported that seven justices have been affected, excluding Bolsonaro-appointed justices Andre Mendonça, Nunes Marques, and Luiz Fux.
The move marks a dramatic escalation in U.S.-Brazil tensions amid the ongoing legal battle surrounding Bolsonaro, who is facing multiple charges including allegations of attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The U.S. decision comes just hours after Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered search warrants, a social media ban, and even an ankle monitor for Bolsonaro, citing a “concrete risk” that he may attempt to flee the country. He is also now prohibited from contacting foreign officials, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he maintains close ties.
Justice Moraes defended the court’s action, saying Bolsonaro had jeopardised Brazil’s sovereignty by encouraging the interference of a foreign head of state in ongoing judicial proceedings.
Bolsonaro, often dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics,” lashed out on Friday, calling Moraes a “dictator” and describing the court orders as acts of “cowardice.” Speaking from his party headquarters, he added, “I feel supreme humiliation. I am 70 years old. I was president of the republic for four years.”
President Lula sharply condemned the U.S. sanctions, calling them “arbitrary and baseless.” In a Saturday statement, he said, “No form of intimidation or threat, from anyone, will compromise the mission of Brazil’s institutions to uphold the democratic rule of law.”
The deepening standoff is also fanned by rising economic threats. Earlier this month, Trump announced plans to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1 if Lula’s government does not drop the charges against Bolsonaro. Lula promised retaliation, invoking Brazil’s Law of Economic Reciprocity to match any U.S. trade penalties.
Moraes said Trump’s trade threats were “an economic assault disguised as judicial interference,” warning of long-term implications for Brazil’s economy and judiciary.
The visa ban and looming tariffs have further polarised public opinion in Brazil, where Bolsonaro’s base views the court’s actions as politically motivated, while Lula’s supporters see the legal proceedings as a defense of democracy.
The White House has offered a cautious defence of Bolsonaro’s position. Spokesperson Anna Kelly said Friday, “The former Brazilian president and his supporters are under attack from a weaponised court system.”
With formal trials underway and diplomatic tensions rising, the Bolsonaro case is rapidly evolving into an international flashpoint, pitting democratic institutions against populist forces and testing the limits of U.S. influence in Latin America.
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