Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Friday that the United States will revoke visas for Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his close associates, and immediate family members. This decision is a response to what Rubio has characterized as a politically motivated assault on former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters.
The restrictions are seen as a countermeasure against the Brazilian judiciary's recent actions, which include search warrants and restraining orders against Bolsonaro. These orders bar him from social media usage, contacting foreign officials, or entering embassies. The Brazilian Supreme Court, led by Justice Moraes, has justified these measures by citing the risk of Bolsonaro fleeing the country amid ongoing investigations.
Justice Moraes is currently overseeing the trial of Bolsonaro, who is accused of plotting a coup to prevent the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva following the 2022 presidential election. Despite losing the election narrowly and claims of voter fraud, Bolsonaro refrained from using military force to contest the results.
The situation escalated when Bolsonaro's supporters, drawing parallels to the January 6 Capitol protest in the U.S., stormed the Supreme Court building in Brasília. Several protesters have since been handed severe prison sentences for crimes including trespassing and property damage. One notable case involves Débora Rodrigues dos Santos, a mother of two with no prior criminal record, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for graffiti on a statue.
In his statement, Rubio compared the crackdown on Bolsonaro and his followers to a more extreme version of the post-January 6 prosecutions in the United States. He accused Justice Moraes of creating a system of persecution and censorship that extends beyond Brazil's borders and impacts American citizens and platforms. Rubio's comments echo the stance of former President Donald Trump, who has warned of a 50% tariff on Brazilian exports unless actions against Bolsonaro and his supporters are ceased.
The U.S. government's visa action signifies a strong opposition to censorship and political persecution. Rubio's statement also highlighted Moraes's role in banning social media platforms such as X and Rumble in Brazil, which the U.S. views as a threat to global free expression.
