Brazil’s Supreme Court orders house arrest for former president Bolsonaro amid coup plot trial

Brazil’s Supreme Court placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest as he stands trial for allegedly orchestrating a failed attempt to cling to power after losing the 2022 presidential election, on Monday. The high-profile case unfolds as tensions rise between Brazil and the United States, which is currently imposing steep trade penalties on Brazilian exports.

Bolsonaro, a close political ally of US President Donald Trump, is at the center of a case that has captured national attention. The trial drew renewed international focus after President Trump linked a new 50% tariff on Brazilian imports to what he described as a politically motivated prosecution of Bolsonaro, calling it a witch hunt.

Brazilian prosecutors accuse Bolsonaro of leading a criminal network that aimed to subvert democratic processes – including alleged plots to assassinate sitting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The house arrest order follows earlier restrictions imposed by the court in July, which required Bolsonaro to wear an electronic ankle monitor and abide by a curfew during the proceedings.