The conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely condemned by conservatives as a Bolsonaro witch hunt. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio blasted the 27-year prison sentence, calling it a politically motivated attack.
“The political persecutions by sanctioned human rights abuser Alexandre de Moraes continue, as he and others on Brazil’s supreme court have unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro,” Rubio wrote on X. He warned, “The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Bolsonaro’s conviction for allegedly plotting a coup to stop leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office drew swift reaction from Washington. Rubio announced that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his allies will face U.S. visa revocations and additional sanctions.
President Donald Trump defended his former ally, saying, “I watched that trial. I know him pretty well. I thought he was a good president of Brazil, and it’s very surprising that could happen very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all.”
Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, told Reuters, “We are going to have a firm response with actions from the U.S. government against this dictatorship that is being installed in Brazil.”
In the end, this case is more than just about Brazil—it highlights how global elites are weaponizing courts to crush conservative leaders.
