MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Charges filed in Brazil against Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro

Eduardo Bolsonaro claimed the measure came in retaliation for US sanctions against Justice De Moraes' wife

Brazil's Public Prosecutor's Office has charged Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro with “coercion” for his efforts to influence a court case against his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup.

The prosecution accuses Eduardo Bolsonaro and an associate of “threatening judicial and other authorities” with the use of US sanctions in an attempt to secure a favorable verdict.

The PGR argued that Eduardo Bolsonaro, who has been living in the United States for months, was prosecuted for “threatening judicial and other authorities” that he would obtain ”sanctions from the US authorities (...) if the trial did not end“ as his father desired. It further noted that the threats were ”unequivocal and consistent“ and sought to ”subjugate the interests of the Republic and the entire community to his own personal designs.”

The indictment was announced as the US government of President Donald Trump imposed additional sanctions on Brazil. The US Treasury targeted Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes' wife and a company owned by her family in retaliation for what they call a “political persecution” of Jair Bolsonaro and a violation of human rights.

In addition to Mrs. De Moraes, née Viviane Barci, the São Paulo-based consulting firm Lex - Instituto de Estudios Jurídicos was also sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act. She and Lex are barred from engaging in any economic activity involving a US citizen or company and had their assets in the US frozen and their visas suspended.

“Alexandre De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary arrests, and politicized judicial proceedings,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pointed out. Moreover, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused him of “committing serious human rights abuses.”

”The illegal and regrettable application of the Magnitsky Act to my wife (...) violates international law, Brazil's sovereignty, and judicial independence,“ Justice De Moraes said in a statement.

Trump has already imposed punitive tariffs of 50% on some Brazilian exports in retaliation for what he considered a ”witch hunt“ against his ally Bolsonaro.

Brazil's government regretted the measure, dubbing it an ”attempt at interference“ in the South American country's affairs. Eduardo Bolsonaro, in turn, linked his indictment to the new US sanctions, speaking of ”political persecution,“ although he warned it was ”a waste of time: we will not be intimidated.“

Influencer Paulo Figueiredo was also charged alongside Eduardo Bolsonaro, facing penalties between 1 and 4 years in jail. ”Messrs. Eduardo Bolsonaro and Paulo Figueiredo, freely, consciously, and voluntarily, coordinated successive and continuous actions aimed at interfering in the criminal proceedings and in the case with charges pending review against Paulo Figueiredo himself,” Attorney General Paulo Gonet wrote in his 63-page submission.

According to the AFP, citing confidential sources, further sanctions against Brazilian magistrates and officials are to be expected shortly.