US Senator Marco Rubio on 18/7 described the raid ordered by Brazilian supreme court justice Alexandre de Moraes on former president Jair Bolsonaro's home as a "witch hunt" that not only violated the rights of Brazilians but also extended beyond Brazil's borders to "target Americans".

As a result, he ordered the "immediate revocation of visas for Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members," effectively barring them from entering the US.

Under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State has the authority to deny entry to individuals "likely to have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences".

US Senator Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11/7. Photo: AFP

US Senator Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11/7. Photo: AFP

Brazil's O Globo reported that a total of 7 supreme court justices were barred from entering the US. The justices not affected were Andre Mendonca and Nunes Marques, both appointed during Bolsonaro's administration, and justice Luiz Fux.

The Brazilian supreme court has not yet commented on the US action.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly previously stated that "Bolsonaro and his supporters are being targeted by a weaponized court system".

This unprecedented diplomatic move comes after months of escalating tension between the Trump administration and Brazilian judicial authorities regarding the prosecution of Bolsonaro.

On 18/7, Brazilian federal police raided Bolsonaro's home and ordered him to wear an ankle monitor, following a supreme court order. The order also prohibited Bolsonaro from contacting foreign officials, using social media, or accessing embassies.

Bolsonaro was also barred from communicating with key allies, including his son, congressman Eduardo, who had been lobbying the US to assist his father in the case where the former president is accused of plotting a coup.

Justice Moraes issued the raid order and restrictions, citing Bolsonaro's "clear possibility" of leaving the country. According to Moraes, the former president had asked a "foreign head of state" to intervene in the Brazilian court system, an action he considered an attack on national sovereignty.

Bolsonaro later stated he never intended to leave Brazil, accusing the court's latest move of aiming to "humiliate" him.

A 5-judge panel of the supreme court subsequently reviewed Moraes's order and upheld the decision.

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro speaks to the press in Brasilia on 18/7 after being fitted with an ankle monitor. Photo: AFP

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro speaks to the press in Brasilia on 18/7 after being fitted with an ankle monitor. Photo: AFP

Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022, is being tried by the supreme court on charges of plotting a coup to prevent current leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in 2023. He denies the allegations and calls them political persecution.

President Trump has been pressuring Brazil in recent weeks to halt legal action against Bolsonaro, claiming his former ally is a victim of a "witch hunt". In a letter announcing his decision to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods last week, Trump began by criticizing Bolsonaro's trial.

On 17/7, Trump shared a letter addressed to the former Brazilian leader on Truth Social, stating that Bolsonaro was being mistreated by "an unfair system" and calling for an immediate end to the trial.

Reuters suggests that the court's latest move reinforces the view that Trump's tactics are backfiring, causing more trouble for Bolsonaro and bolstering support for the current Brazilian government.

Huyen Le (Reuters, Newsweek)