Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro lashed out at the country's Supreme Court on Friday after being ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor and comply with strict restrictions while facing trial for an alleged coup attempt.
The 70-year-old far-right leader, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, called the court's decision a "supreme humiliation" following police raids on his home and political headquarters in Brasília.
"I feel supreme humiliation. I am 70 years old, I was president of the republic for four years," Bolsonaro told reporters, describing Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as a "dictator."
The court imposed sweeping restrictions on Bolsonaro amid concerns he might flee the country during his ongoing trial. Beyond the ankle monitor, he has been banned from using social media, prohibited from contacting foreign officials or embassies, and placed under a nighttime curfew with 24-hour surveillance.
The restrictions also bar him from communicating with his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian lawmaker who has been lobbying in Washington on his father's behalf.
Bolsonaro faces serious charges related to alleged efforts to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office after his narrow 2022 election victory. The case stems from events that culminated in the January 8, 2023, storming of Brazil's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace by thousands of Bolsonaro supporters.
If convicted on charges including attempting to stage a coup and involvement in an armed criminal organisation, Bolsonaro could face decades in prison. He has consistently denied all charges, claiming to be the victim of political persecution.
A federal investigation produced an 884-page report alleging that Bolsonaro "planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organisation aiming to launch a coup d'état."
The case has become an international flashpoint after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Brazil with 50% tariffs on all goods starting August 1st, directly citing the country's treatment of his ally, Bolsonaro.
Trump, who has called the prosecution a "witch hunt," sent a letter to Bolsonaro expressing support and comparing the case to his legal troubles. "This trial must end immediately!" Trump wrote, adding that he was "deeply concerned about the attacks on freedom of expression."
The U.S. escalated pressure Friday by revoking visas for Brazilian judicial officials involved in the case, including Justice de Moraes and their immediate family members.
President Lula fired back, vowing to match any U.S. tariffs and defending Brazil's judicial independence. "We cannot have President Trump forgetting that he was elected to govern the U.S., not to be the emperor of the world," Lula said Thursday.
Despite the restrictions, Bolsonaro insists he never considered fleeing Brazil and maintains hopes of meeting with Trump to discuss the tariff threats. However, his passport has been confiscated by authorities since last year.
The standoff represents a significant test for Brazil's democratic institutions and could reshape U.S.-Brazil relations under Trump's second presidency. As tensions escalate, the case continues to divide Brazilian society and complicate diplomatic relations between the two largest economies in the Americas.
© Copyright 2020, All Rights Reserved
Powered by Basharat Hosein
