Lead Brazilian Judge warns of US-backed plot as Bolsonaro faces trial
3 Min Read
As Jair Bolsonaro faces imminent conviction for leading a coup plot, Brazil's judiciary is resisting foreign interference, including Trump-imposed sanctions.
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Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (R), sitting next to his lawyer Celso Villardi (L), takes the stand before Judge Alexandre de Moraes, during his trial in the Brazilian Supreme Court, in Brasilia, on June 10, 2025. (AFP)
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has raised alarm over what he labelled a coordinated foreign-backed effort to destabilize the country's democratic institutions, just as former President Jair Bolsonaro faces trial for allegedly orchestrating a failed coup attempt.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is presiding over the case, linked recent US sanctions and punitive tariffs to a broader campaign aimed at shielding Bolsonaro and derailing Brazil's pursuit of accountability.
Earlier this week, Donald Trump escalated tensions by slapping a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports and imposing Global Magnitsky Act sanctions on Moraes. The move was swiftly condemned by Brazilian leaders as an unacceptable intrusion into the country's sovereign judicial affairs. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the interference "unacceptable," signaling Brazil's refusal to be bullied by external actors attempting to shield authoritarianism.
In court on Friday, Moraes denounced what he called an "illegal and immoral" attempt to manipulate Brazil's political and economic landscape through intimidation and economic sabotage. "To the disappointment of these Brazilian traitors, [that] will not occur," he said, referring to efforts he claims are designed to provoke a crisis severe enough to justify another military intervention—mirroring the violent assault on Brasília's democratic institutions on January 8, 2023.
While not naming names, Moraes pointed toward the involvement of Bolsonaro's inner circle, particularly his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, who now resides in the United States. Eduardo has admitted to lobbying Trump officials on his father's behalf. Following Trump's sanctions on Moraes, Eduardo boasted on social media, "I have a feeling of mission accomplished."
Bolsonaro Coup Plot
Federal investigations have uncovered a sweeping conspiracy involving Bolsonaro and high-ranking allies, including evidence of coup planning, targeted assassination plots, and illegal use of Brazil's intelligence agency to surveil political opponents. Operation Counter-Coup, launched by Brazilian authorities in 2024, exposed how Bolsonaro's circle sought to nullify the 2022 election outcome by declaring a state of emergency and mobilizing the military. A document outlining such plans was found at the residence of Bolsonaro's former justice minister.
Legal analysts believe Bolsonaro's conviction is imminent, with prosecutors seeking a sentence of up to 43 years. The charges include leading a criminal organization, plotting to abolish democratic order by force, and orchestrating a broad campaign of political sabotage. Despite Bolsonaro's denials, multiple witnesses, including senior military officials, have confirmed his direct involvement in planning unconstitutional measures to remain in power.
Justice Moraes reaffirmed that Brazil's judiciary will not waver in the face of foreign coercion. "There will be no cowardly surrender," he declared.
Read more: Lula slams US over visa sanctions linked to Bolsonaro trial
International observers, including Harvard political scientist Steven Levitsky, have praised Brazil's response. "Right now, Brazil is more democratic than the United States," Levitsky told The Guardian. "Brazil's democracy is flawed. It's got problems. But it's functioning, and holding an authoritarian leader accountable. That's something the U.S. has failed to do."
