Rubio strips 8 Brazilian judges of US visa amid Bolsonaro coup trial
3 Min Read
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revokes the US visas of eight Brazilian Supreme Court judges as part of a campaign to shield Jair Bolsonaro from coup-related prosecution, sparking diplomatic tensions.
-
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attends his Supreme Court trial along with others charged in an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
In a provocative escalation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stripped US visas from eight Brazilian Supreme Court judges. This move, seen as a maneuver to protect former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, adds fuel to the controversy surrounding Bolsonaro’s ongoing coup trial.
Rubio’s action targets the judge leading the prosecution against Bolsonaro, Alexandre de Moraes, and seven other judges identified by Brazilian newspaper O Globo as Luís Roberto Barroso, José Antonio Dias Toffoli, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha, Luiz Edson Fachin, and Gilmar Ferreira Mendes.
.@POTUS made clear that his administration will hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States. Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 18, 2025
Notably, judges appointed during Bolsonaro’s presidency were exempt, underscoring the political alignment behind the move. Rubio cited a “political witch hunt” as justification, aligning himself firmly with Bolsonaro’s narrative.
Bolsonaro faces potential conviction for orchestrating a failed attempt to overturn the 2022 election results through a violent coup, with a possible 43-year prison sentence looming. Bolsonaro, who has ties to Donald Trump's MAGA movement, has portrayed the trial as persecution. Trump recently announced 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, citing Bolsonaro’s treatment, a decision widely seen as punitive support for his ally.
Responses to Rubio's decision
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned Rubio’s visa action as an "arbitrary and groundless" interference in Brazil’s judiciary. Lula reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to sovereignty and the rule of law, warning that no foreign intimidation would derail the country’s democratic institutions.
Minha solidariedade e apoio aos ministros do Supremo Tribunal Federal atingidos por mais uma medida arbitrária e completamente sem fundamento do governo dos Estados Unidos.
— Lula (@LulaOficial) July 19, 2025
A interferência de um país no sistema de Justiça de outro é inaceitável e fere os princípios básicos do…
The response within Brazil has been swift and diverse. While Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro praised Rubio and continued lobbying US officials, criticism of US interference has spanned both left and right. Gleisi Hoffmann, Lula’s Institutional Relations Minister, condemned the move as “aggressive and petty retaliation,” while the conservative newspaper Estado de São Paulo described Trump’s intervention as “a stain on inter-American diplomacy.”
Trump's tariffs backfire
Trump’s imposition of 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, especially agricultural exports, has inflicted serious damage on Bolsonaro’s core base.
According to The Guardian, Bolsonaro, and Trump behind him, ultimately made Lula appear to be the defender of national interests, pushing back against US coercion while presenting Bolsonaro and his allies as willing collaborators with foreign powers against Brazil's interests. This narrative has resonated with the public, triggering a notable rebound in Lula’s approval ratings ahead of next year’s election.
Even within the Bolsonaro camp, signs of discomfort have emerged. Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s senator son, initially urged Trump to replace tariffs with individual sanctions, but later deleted the post, suggesting internal disagreement over strategy.
