Brasília: Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been placed under tight judicial restrictions as the Supreme Court intensifies measures during his ongoing trial for alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered Bolsonaro to wear an electronic ankle monitor and comply with a nightly curfew, citing concerns that he might flee the country. In addition to the ankle tag, Bolsonaro has been banned from using social media and is prohibited from contacting foreign diplomats or his son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is accused of lobbying abroad on his behalf.
Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, faces accusations of plotting to overturn the democratic election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in January 2023. Prosecutors say Bolsonaro and allies coordinated efforts to block Lula’s inauguration and orchestrated the storming of Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace on January 8, 2023 — an incident widely described as an attempted coup.
Authorities allege Bolsonaro actively planned and supported the operation to disrupt Brazil’s democracy, as detailed in a comprehensive federal report and statements by the Attorney General. Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing and has called the Supreme Court’s measures humiliating and unjust, insisting he never intended to leave Brazil.
The case has sparked diplomatic tensions, with former US President Donald Trump condemning the prosecution as a ‘witch hunt’ and threatening steep tariffs on Brazilian goods unless the charges are dropped. President Lula has defended Brazil’s judiciary, vowing to uphold the law and respond firmly to any foreign interference.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers have criticised the new restrictions as excessive, maintaining that the former president has complied with all legal proceedings so far. If found guilty on multiple charges, including plotting a coup and leading a criminal group, Bolsonaro could face decades in prison.
With speculation that Bolsonaro might attempt a political comeback in Brazil’s 2026 presidential election, the trial’s outcome is set to have long-lasting effects on the country’s political future and international relations.
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