US treasury lifts sanctions on Brazilian judge who presided over Bolsonaro case | Brazil
The U.S. Treasury Department lifted sanctions on the Brazilian supreme court judge who oversaw the conviction of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes has been under Global Magnitsky sanctions since July, targeting individuals accused of human rights violations. His wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, who was added to the sanctions list in September, was also removed from the register on Friday.
The move had been repeatedly requested by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in talks with Donald Trump to roll back 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports.
The decision is a major defeat for Bolsonaro and his son, congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, who left his post in Brazil to lobby for punitive measures in Washington over what he called the “persecution” of his father.
Trump imposed the penalty shortly after imposing tariffs on Brazil, justifying it as a response to what he claimed was a “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro. Eduardo Bolsonaro claimed that Trump influenced his decision.
Moraes presided over the hearing in September when Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn Brazil’s 2022 elections. Days later, Magnitsky sanctions were expanded to include the judge’s wife.
Bolsonaro’s supporters were hoping for more retaliation against Brazil, but what followed was an unexpected rapprochement between Trump and Lula.
The US president praised his Brazilian counterpart for the first time at the UN general assembly; The two later telephoned, had their first face-to-face meeting, and in November, Trump lifted most of the tariffs.
With the lifting of sanctions against Moraes and her husband Eduardo Bolsonaro sent on social media that he “received with regret” the news, while thanking Trump “for the support demonstrated throughout this process and for the attention he gave to the serious crisis of freedoms affecting Brazil”.
He added that he would “continue to work hard and determinedly for as long as necessary and despite adverse conditions to find a path that allows for the salvation of our country.” “May God bless America and have mercy on the people of Brazil.”
Bolsonaro is currently serving his sentence in a special cell at the Federal Police Headquarters in Brazil.
This week the lower house approved a law that could reduce the time he spends in confinement to just over two years.
The bill, which still does not provide the full amnesty sought by the far-right leader and his sons, still needs to pass the Senate, where there is clear support, before going to Lula; Any veto by him would likely be overturned.
