Brazilian Supreme Court justices considered arresting Bolsonaro following US tariff increase.
The measure, seen as an attempt to obstruct Bolsonaro's trial, would be grounds for preventive detention. The ankle monitor was an option to ensure unity within the Supreme Federal Court.
247 - Ministers of the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) discussed the possibility of ordering the preventive detention of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) after the decision by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to apply a 50% surcharge on Brazilian products, mentioning the former president's trial as one of the reasons, reports... Folha de S. Paul.
The analysis among the judges of the court is that the American measure has an intimidating character and aims to directly interfere in the judicial process against Bolsonaro, who is accused of leading a coup plot. Minister Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the action, pointed out that the surcharge announced by Trump aimed to "generate a serious economic crisis in Brazil, in order to generate political and social pressure on the Judiciary."
Strategy to preserve the unity of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) - Although they consider preventive detention legally viable, ministers decided on a more moderate solution for the moment: the imposition of an electronic ankle monitor. The internal assessment is that the immediate adoption of an extreme measure could exacerbate divisions within the Supreme Court and provide ammunition for the Bolsonaro narrative of political persecution.
The institution of the ankle monitor was created as an alternative to preventive detention, adopted when precautionary measures are insufficient, a magistrate reminded Folha. The objective would be to avoid greater institutional damage and at the same time prevent the realization of a possible escape plan by Bolsonaro — especially after the seizure of dollars at his residence.
The court also takes into account the recent history of flight by federal congresswoman Carla Zambelli (PL-SP), considered a warning sign of the need for stricter control over allies of the former president.
Eduardo Bolsonaro in the US raises alarm - The actions of Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), currently on leave, with the United States government also weighed on the decision to impose precautionary measures. According to Moraes, "the investigated Eduardo Nantes Bolsonaro stated publicly on his social media that his mediation with the foreign government resulted in the announcement by the President of the United States of America imposing a 50% tariff on all Brazilian products imported by the United States."
The minister's decision was based on social media posts and public statements by Bolsonaro, his son and President Trump himself. This content was also cited in requests from the Federal Police and the Attorney General's Office that underpinned the operation on Friday (18), when the measures were imposed.
In his rulings, Moraes classified the statements as "clear and explicit acts of execution and blatant confessions of the commission of criminal acts."
Risk of flight and visa revocation. Minister Alexandre de Moraes emphasized that the measures adopted aim to prevent Bolsonaro's escape and foreign interference in the process. The revocation of visas for Moraes himself and other Supreme Court justices by the US government, also announced on Friday, was interpreted as another step in the escalation of tension promoted by Trump to destabilize the functioning of the Brazilian judiciary.
The expectation is that the First Panel of the Supreme Court will have a majority to uphold any harsher decisions against Bolsonaro, but the justices believe that this support would be narrower regarding imprisonment than regarding the confirmation of the use of an electronic ankle monitor.
