What seemed inevitable happened: the unbalanced far-right leader who presided over Brazil from 2019 to 2022, Jair Bolsonaro, was arrested. The reason: he violated the measures imposed on him by Judge Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court, Brazil's highest court. Banned from public demonstrations, he launched into a speech broadcast on the cell phone of his eldest son, Flavio Bolsonaro, who sits in the Senate.
He is now serving what is known in Brazil as "house arrest," meaning he cannot leave his home in Brasilia, and visits—except for his children—must be authorized by the courts. The order includes lawyers and, if necessary, medical assistance.
He will be tried by the Supreme Court in early September, and there are plenty of indications that he will be sentenced to prison, possibly at home, but the prospect of him being taken to an army barracks—he is a retired captain—to serve a sentence that, according to legal speculation, could range from 12 (jurists previously said 20) to 40 years in prison is not excluded.
Faced with this situation, Donald Trump continues to announce punitive measures against Brazil. Regarding the announced tariffs, nothing new: key areas of Brazilian exports to the United States, such as minerals, orange juice, and civil aircraft, remain untouched by the measure.
But now we move on to another field of action: individual punishments. Alexandre de Moraes, the most severe member of the Supreme Court regarding Bolsonaro, was included in the Magnitsky Act, along with his wife and daughter.
This law is dedicated to punishing terrorists by imposing a freeze on all their assets, including bank accounts, in the United States.
The effects of this law on Brazilian banks are still unknown, but as of now, neither Moraes, his wife, nor his daughter can use U.S.-issued credit cards like Visa or Mastercard.
It is known that at least six other members of the Supreme Court will be included in the Magnitsky Act, but not when.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to announce punitive measures against Brazil, while Bolsonaro remains under "unjust persecution by the judiciary."
One of those most encouraging the US president to launch harsh measures against Brazil is national representative Eduardo Bolsonaro, who has been in the United States since February, according to him as an exile, and according to Brazilian analysts and legal experts as a refugee from local justice.
Despite the right-wing majority in Congress, the suspension of the deputy's mandate should not be ruled out.
In addition to campaigning intensely against his country alongside the Trump White House for being absent for so long without any minimally reasonable reason. And of course, until very recently, receiving the dues as a member of the House.
