De Moraes places Bolsonaro under house arrest after blatant confession
Friday, July 18th 2025 – 19:59 UTC
Bolsonaro dubbed his flight risk an exaggeration
De Moraes pointed out that criminal audacity seems to have no limits
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes Friday ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro placed under house arrest after making a blatant confession of obstruction of justice. The former head of State also had a tracking device placed around his ankle, which he said meant a supreme humiliation.
In his rationale, De Moraes wrote that Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo made a flagrant confession of criminal acts to coerce and obstruct Brazilian justice, which is why he decided to impose precautionary measures against the retired Army captain.
They are both being investigated for the crimes of coercion in the course of proceedings (Art. 344 of the Penal Code), obstruction of investigation of criminal offenses involving criminal organizations (Art. 2, § 1, of Law 12.850/13), and violent abolition of the democratic rule of law (Art. 359-L of the Penal Code). In another part of his decision, De Moraes also mentioned the crime of attacking sovereignty (Art. 359-I of the Penal Code).
As per the ruling, Bolsonaro must comply with house arrest between 7 pm and 6 am from Monday to Friday and full-time on weekends and holidays; be monitored with an electronic anklet; not maintain contact with ambassadors, foreign authorities, or approach embassy and consulate headquarters.
The measures were requested by the Federal Police (PF), with a favorable opinion from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR). The agencies cited a flight risk to justify the anklet.
In De Moraes’ view, Bolsonaro’s conduct and his son’s constituted a CLEAR and EXPRESS EXECUTORY ACTS and FLAGRANT CONFESSIONS OF THE PRACTICE OF CRIMINAL ACTS, in particular the crimes of coercion in the course of the proceedings, obstruction of investigation of criminal offenses involving criminal organizations, and attacks on sovereignty.
The magistrate also pointed out that criminal audacity seems to have no limits, occurring in broad daylight, in social media posts and interviews, and statements to the media.
De Moraes pointed to a press conference held by Bolsonaro on Thursday, in which the former president conditioned the withdrawal of US sanctions against Brazil on the approval of a Congressional amnesty favoring him.
The decision includes images of Eduardo’s posts on social media and interviews with TV channels, such as CNN, in which the president’s son defends the 50% tax on Brazilian products announced by US President Donald Trump. When announcing the measure, Trump cited what he called a witch hunt against Bolsonaro as one of the reasons.
The actions of JAIR MESSIAS BOLSONARO demonstrate that the defendant is acting maliciously and consciously in an unlawful manner, together with his son, EDUARDO NANTES BOLSONARO, with the goal of trying to subject the functioning of the Federal Supreme Court to the scrutiny of another foreign state, through hostile acts derived from spurious and criminal negotiations with clear obstruction of justice and the clear purpose of coercing this COURT in the judgment of AP 2.668/DF, De Moraes further argued.
Criminal case 2668 targets Bolsonaro and seven other allies, including military personnel and civilians, all accused by the PGR of leading a failed coup attempt to keep the former president in power even after his electoral defeat.
De Moraes’ decision was made within a new investigation, opened at the request of the PGR, to investigate the conduct of Bolsonaro and Eduardo against national sovereignty.
The implementation of the tariff increase is intended to create a serious economic crisis in Brazil, to generate political and social pressure on the Judiciary, and to impact diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United States, wrote the judge.
He added that National Sovereignty cannot, should not, and will never be vilified, negotiated, or extorted, as it is one of the FUNDAMENTALS OF THE FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL, expressly provided for in item I of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution.
The FEDERAL SUPREME COURT will always be absolutely inflexible in defending National Sovereignty and in its commitment to Democracy, Fundamental Rights, the Rule of Law, the independence of the National Judiciary, and Brazilian constitutional principles, he went on.
The magistrate also quoted writer Machado de Assis: NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD, PROVIDED IT IS SOVEREIGNTY AND PROVIDED IT IS NATIONAL.
In an interview after the installation of an electronic anklet at the Federal District Penitentiary Administration Secretariat, Bolsonaro said that the precautionary measures imposed on him by the STF were a supreme humiliation.
Bolsonaro got out of his car to talk to journalists as he left the premises after having the device fitted. He stated that he never thought of leaving the country or seeking asylum in any embassy in Brasília, adding that leaving the country is the easiest thing to do.
He also dubbed his flight risk an exaggeration and insisted that the coup investigation is a political investigation, there is nothing concrete there.
I hope the trial will be technical and not political. I never thought of leaving Brazil, I never thought of going to the embassy, he further noted.
Regarding the seizure of US$14,000 and R$8,000 in cash at his home in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood of Brasília, Bolsonaro said that he has always kept dollars at home and that he can prove the origin of all the money. (Source: Agencia Brasil)
