US sanctions Brazilian judge overseeing case of Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro

Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the criminal case against ex-president Bolsonaro, is accused of suppressing freedom of expression

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Judge Alexandre de Moraes at the Brazilian Supreme Court on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Published: 1:26am, 31 Jul 2025Updated: 3:19am, 31 Jul 2025

The United States imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Wednesday, accusing him of authorising arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression.

Moraes is overseeing the criminal case against former president Jair Bolsonaro, who has been charged with plotting a coup. US President Donald Trump has tied new tariffs on Brazil to what he called a “witch hunt” against his right-wing ally.

The announcement by the US Treasury Department follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement in June saying that Washington was considering sanctioning the judge.

Moraes was sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the United States to impose economic penalties against foreigners it considers to have a record of corruption or human rights abuses.

The decision orders the freezing of any assets or property de Moraes may have in the US.

“Moraes has investigated, prosecuted and suppressed those who have engaged in speech that is protected under the US Constitution, repeatedly subjecting victims to long preventive detentions without bringing charges,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

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