Rubio revokes visas of Brazilian judge, allies over Bolsonaro prosecution
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late Friday that the visas of Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, his “allies on the court” and immediate family members have been revoked over the ongoing “political witch hunt” against Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro.
“[President Trump] made clear that his administration will hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States,” Rubio, who is also President Trump’s national security adviser, wrote in a post on social platform X.
He continued, “Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil's shores to target Americans."
“I have therefore ordered visa revocations for Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members effective immediately,” the secretary of state added.
The announcement came just hours after Brazil’s top court released restraining orders and search warrants against Bolsonaro — preventing him from getting in touch with foreign officials. Authorities placed an ankle monitor on the embattled former leader and his home was raided by police.
Moraes, in a Friday court decision, blocked Bolsonaro — who was charged last year for trying to overturn the nation's 2022 presidential election — from using social media. The judge cited the possibility of him trying to flee the country, which the ex-president denied.
Last week, Trump upped the pressure on Brazil, threatening to slap a 50 percent tariff on the South American country on all items over the ongoing prosecution of Bolsonaro over election fraud claims.
"I feel supreme humiliation," the former leader said in a recent interview with Reuters. "I am 70 years old, I was president of the republic for four years."
Bolsonaro and some of his allies, who argue the case is politically charged, were indicted in February for an alleged "coup," and efforts to stay in power after the 2022 election, which he lost to now-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
He has also been barred from seeking office until 2030.