US Sanctions Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes

The United States has imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, accusing him of authorizing arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression, particularly in his oversight of the criminal case against former President Jair Bolsonaro. The sanctions, implemented under the Global Magnitsky Act and Executive Order 13818, target serious human rights abuses. U.S. officials allege that de Moraes abused his judicial authority by censoring political critics, issuing secret orders to social media companies to ban accounts, and detaining individuals without due process. The U.S. also recently revoked de Moraes's visa and those of his immediate family, citing his censorship campaign against U.S. persons. These measures come amid heightened tensions, with President Trump linking new tariffs on Brazil to what he describes as a 'witch hunt' against his ally Bolsonaro. Brazilian authorities have not yet commented on the sanctions.