Brazil’s Supreme Court Places Former President Jair Bolsonaro Under House Arrest in New Phase of Election Interference Trial

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be placed under house arrest in a new phase of his trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost.

CNN reported that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, upon issuing the ruling on Monday evening, stated that "Bolsonaro failed to comply with previous court-imposed restrictions, including the use of social media and mobile phones."

The judge added that "the defendant recorded speeches to be posted on other users’ social media accounts, as detected by his ankle monitor."

Meanwhile, CNN quoted Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s eldest son, as saying that his father "has never defied a court order," adding, "We are officially in a dictatorship… This is a sad page in Brazil’s history."

Bolsonaro is expected to serve his house arrest at his residence, where he will only be permitted to receive his lawyers and individuals authorized by the court. According to CNN, he will also be barred from using a mobile phone, either directly or through third parties.

The trial has heightened tensions with the United States due to opposition from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who said in a letter addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last month:

"I have known and dealt with former President Jair Bolsonaro and respected him greatly, as did most other world leaders."

Trump further stated in his letter:

"The way Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro—a highly respected leader around the world during his term, including by the United States—is an international disgrace… This trial should not be happening… It is a witch hunt that must end immediately."