Brazil Supreme Court orders Ex-president's house arrest

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be placed under house arrest as he stands trial over allegations of plotting a coup—accusations he strongly denies.

The move comes after Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the investigation, said Bolsonaro violated previous court-imposed restrictions. These included a ban on using social media and communicating with certain individuals, including his son Eduardo Bolsonaro.

De Moraes, who has also been sanctioned by the United States, accused the former president of using allies’ social media platforms to spread messages that incited attacks on the judiciary and pushed for foreign interference in Brazil’s legal system.

The court has now further restricted Bolsonaro from using a phone—directly or via intermediaries—and from receiving visitors, except lawyers or individuals specifically approved by the court.

On Sunday, pro-Bolsonaro rallies erupted across several Brazilian cities. In Rio de Janeiro, his son Flávio Bolsonaro, a sitting senator, briefly put him on speakerphone to address supporters. Flávio also shared a video of the call online, which he later deleted.

The situation has gained international attention, with former U.S. President Donald Trump calling Bolsonaro’s prosecution a “witch-hunt” and citing it as justification for new 50% tariffs on select Brazilian imports, despite the U.S. enjoying a trade surplus with Brazil.

Previously, Bolsonaro had been ordered to wear an ankle monitor, observe a curfew, and avoid contact with his son Eduardo, who has reportedly been lobbying U.S. officials about the case.