Brazil at its most authoritarian hour: Moraes ordered Bolsonaro's house arrest

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) minister, Alexandre de Moraes, gave a new display of his authoritarianism this Monday by ordering the house arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro, alleging "repeated noncompliance" with precautionary measures.

The measure is based on the right-wing former president's remote participation in a demonstration in his favor at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday. Through a video call published by his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president delivered a brief message to those in attendance.

For De Moraes, the leader of the judicial persecution, this was enough to justify the imposition of house arrest, arguing that Bolsonaro violated the previously imposed restrictions, which prohibit public communication, even through third parties.

Another judicial abuse by Moraes.

In his decision, the Supreme Court described Bolsonaro's participation as "an illegal act" and accused him of attempting to coerce the STF and obstruct justice. He also prohibited the former president from receiving visitors, except for his lawyers, and banned him from using cell phones or social networks. In addition, he ordered a search of his home to confiscate electronic devices.

Legal experts and analysts have questioned the proportionality of the court order. The lack of an impartial technical assessment, the speed of the decision, and the fact that Bolsonaro had already been previously restricted reveal what this really is: a campaign to disqualify him politically.

The episode adds to a series of controversial decisions made by the pro-Lula judge in recent years, especially in the context of proceedings against Bolsonaro and his supporters following the mass demonstrations on January 8, 2023.

Trump seeks to stop Lula's authoritarianism.

Without any judicial basis, Lula's Workers' Party accuses Bolsonaro of planning a coup d'état to prevent the inauguration of Lula da Silva, being accused of meeting with military officials and discussing a possible annulment of the election and even a plan to assassinate the current president.

During Sunday's demonstrations, thousands of people took to the streets to demand amnesty for the January 8 prisoners and support the sanctions imposed by Donald Trump against Brazilian authorities.

The U.S. president, seeking to stop Lula's abuses, revoked visas for eight Supreme Court judges and imposed additional tariffs on Brazilian products, making their removal conditional on the cessation of proceedings against Bolsonaro.