Brazil's Bolsonaro arrested, adding to tensions with Trump

Brazil's Supreme Court put former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest on Monday ahead of his trial for an alleged coup plot, underscoring the court's resolve despite escalating tariffs and sanctions from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the target of U.S. Treasury sanctions last week, issued the arrest order against Bolsonaro. His decision cited a failure to comply with restraining orders he had imposed on Bolsonaro for allegedly courting Trump's interference in the case.

Bolsonaro is on trial before the Supreme Court on charges he conspired with allies to violently overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Trump has referred to the case as a "witch hunt" and called it grounds for a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, taking effect on Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department condemned the house arrest order, saying Moraes was using Brazilian institutions to silence opposition and threaten democracy, adding the U.S. would "hold accountable all those aiding and abetting sanctioned conduct."

It did not provide details, though Trump has said the U.S. could still impose even higher tariffs on Brazilian imports.

The Monday order from Moraes also banned Bolsonaro from using a cell phone or receiving visits, except for his lawyers and people authorized by the court.

A press representative for Bolsonaro confirmed he was placed under house arrest on Monday evening at his Brasilia residence by police who seized his cell phone.

Bolsonaro's lawyers said in a statement they would appeal the decision, arguing the former president had not violated any court order.

In an interview with Reuters last month, Bolsonaro called Moraes a "dictator" and said the restraining orders against him were acts of "cowardice."

Some Bolsonaro allies have worried that Trump's tactics may be backfiring in Brazil, compounding trouble for Bolsonaro and rallying public support behind Lula's leftist government.

However, Sunday demonstrations by Bolsonaro supporters — the largest in months — show that Trump's tirades and sanctions against Moraes have also fired up the far-right former army captain's political base.

Reuters