Diplomatic wires between Brazil and United States have been tense as US imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Wednesday,accusing him of a politically motivated trial against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
“De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions — including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement, reported AP.
The sanctions were announced under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a measure aimed at punishing individuals involved in human rights abuses and corruption. The action includes freezing any assets or property de Moraes may hold in the US.
De Moraes is presiding over the criminal case against former Brazilian President Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting to remain in power despite his 2022 electoral loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The move follows earlier US visa restrictions announced on July 18 targeting Brazilian judicial officials, including de Moraes.
Wednesday's order described Brazil’s domestic policies and Bolsonaro’s prosecution as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, foreign policy, and economy.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the former president and a prominent right-wing politician, celebrated the sanctions on social media platform X, calling them a “historic milestone” and warning that “abuses of authority now have global consequences.” Eduardo, who relocated to the US in March, is under investigation in Brazil for allegedly collaborating with US authorities to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials.
“De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions — including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement, reported AP.
The sanctions were announced under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a measure aimed at punishing individuals involved in human rights abuses and corruption. The action includes freezing any assets or property de Moraes may hold in the US.
De Moraes is presiding over the criminal case against former Brazilian President Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting to remain in power despite his 2022 electoral loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The move follows earlier US visa restrictions announced on July 18 targeting Brazilian judicial officials, including de Moraes.
Wednesday's order described Brazil’s domestic policies and Bolsonaro’s prosecution as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, foreign policy, and economy.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the former president and a prominent right-wing politician, celebrated the sanctions on social media platform X, calling them a “historic milestone” and warning that “abuses of authority now have global consequences.” Eduardo, who relocated to the US in March, is under investigation in Brazil for allegedly collaborating with US authorities to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials.
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