Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest for violating a social media ban amid his ongoing coup trial.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been placed under house arrest by the Supreme Court for violating a social media ban, intensifying an already tense legal and political standoff. Bolsonaro stands accused of plotting a coup to remain in power after his 2022 election loss to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is presiding over the trial, issued the house arrest order following Bolsonaro’s “repeated failure” to comply with restrictions. Bolsonaro, 70, is barred from social media during the trial, and third parties are prohibited from sharing his public remarks.

The trigger came Sunday, when Bolsonaro’s allies shared online footage of a call between him and his son Flavio Bolsonaro at a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro, directly violating court-imposed bans. Moraes responded sharply, stating the judiciary would not be “treated like a fool” due to Bolsonaro’s “political and economic power.”

In addition to house arrest in his Brasília residence, Bolsonaro is now forbidden from receiving visitors except for legal counsel and from using mobile phones. Authorities also seized several mobile phones from his home on Monday.

US response

The United States was quick to respond. The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs issued a statement on X condemning the new restrictions:

“Minister Alexandre de Moraes, already sanctioned by the United States for human rights violations, continues to use Brazilian institutions to silence the opposition and threaten democracy,” the bureau posted. “Let Bolsonaro speak!”