(MENAFN) Brazil’s Supreme Court has placed former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest as he faces trial for allegedly trying to overturn the 2022 election results. Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ruling, banning Bolsonaro from using mobile phones and limiting his visitors to legal representatives and court-approved individuals.

The decision came after Bolsonaro was found to have breached previous court-imposed restrictions by using his sons’ social media platforms to incite opposition against Brazil’s Supreme Court and advocate for foreign interference in the judiciary.

The case has sparked a diplomatic spat with the United States after former U.S. President Donald Trump labeled the trial a “witch hunt” and responded by imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports — the steepest currently applied by the U.S.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized Trump’s move, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Brazil’s domestic affairs and using human rights allegations as a cover for economic pressure. At a recent Workers’ Party gathering, Lula reminded attendees of Washington’s historical role in past political interference, asserting that Brazil would not tolerate external manipulation.

Lula emphasized that Brazil is no longer economically reliant on the U.S. and aims to engage globally on fair and equal terms, especially through partnerships like BRICS. Trump has previously accused the BRICS bloc of attempting to undermine the U.S. dollar, while BRICS leaders maintain that it is Washington’s own policies that weaken the currency’s global standing.

MENAFN06082025000045015687ID1109891064