The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been a target of criticism by President Donald Trump for his handling of legal cases involving former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
The sanctions come five months after Trump’s social media company, Trump Media, sued de Moraes for over an order by the justice to the video hosting company Rumble to suspend the accounts of a “well-known politically outspoken user” of Rumble, whose services Trump Media uses.
They also come two days before Trump has said he will impose tariffs of 50% on imports from Brazil, which Trump says are partly in retaliation for the ongoing criminal prosecution of Bolsonaro, an ally of his.
De Moraes last year drew the ire of mega-billionaire Elon Musk, who at the time was a close ally over Trump, by blocking Musk’s X social media platform nationwide in Brazil for failing to comply with orders banning some user accounts and to remove certain content.
“Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against U.S. and Brazilian citizens and companies,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement Wednesday announcing the sanctions, which would block any property de Moraes might have in the United States.
“De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions — including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” Bessent said.
“Today’s action makes clear that Treasury will continue to hold accountable those who threaten U.S. interests and the freedoms of our citizens.”
The Washington Post on July 17 reported that Eduardo Bolsonaro, a son of Bolsonaro, was “working closely with the White House to impose sanctions on” de Moraes. Eduardo Bolsonaro is a federal congressman in Brazil.
De Moraes is the so-called rapporteur of cases against Jair Bolsonaro, and is sitting on a five-judge Supreme Court panel that is overseeing the former president’s trial for allegedly trying to stage a coup against sitting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and other charges.
