Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes attends the verdict and sentencing phase of a trial for those charged in an alleged coup plot to keep Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Trump administration sanctions wife of Brazilian judge who sentenced Bolsonaro, revokes other visas
SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 The U.S. government Monday sanctioned the wife of the Brazilian Supreme Court justice who led the investigation into former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced this month to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup in the South American nation.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes attends the verdict and sentencing phase of a trial for those charged in an alleged coup plot to keep Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 The U.S. government Monday sanctioned the wife of the Brazilian Supreme Court justice who led the investigation into former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced this month to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup in the South American nation.
The Trump administration also revoked the U.S. visa of another Brazilian official, Solicitor-General Jorge Messias, who criticized the decision on his social media channels.
The wife of Justice Alexandre de Moraes, Viviane Barci de Moraes, was sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act used by the United States against human rights abusers. Her husband was targeted by the same measure as he oversaw the case against Bolsonaro.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
This is the latest chapter in a unilateral wave of attacks from the Trump administration against Brazil, which includes sanctions against other authorities and tariffs of 50% on many of the country’s exports to the U.S.
Local media also reported that other judges who worked with de Moraes at the Supreme Court had also lost their U.S. visas, which they did not individually confirm. A holding company of the de Moraes family was also sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act.
De Moraes said in a statement that Brazilian institutions 鈥渁re strong and sound鈥 and will not be affected by the attacks from the Trump administration. He added the measures against his wife 鈥渁ttack international law, Brazil鈥檚 sovereignty and the judiciary鈥檚 independence.鈥
The U.S. State Department said de Moraes 鈥渉as used his position to weaponize courts, authorize arbitrary pretrial detentions, and suppress freedom of expression.鈥
鈥淭hese sanctions build on a series of actions taken by the Trump administration to hold Moraes accountable for abusing his authority, creating a censorship complex, blatantly targeting political opponents, and committing serious human rights abuse,鈥 the statement said.
Bolsonaro was to illegally remain in office following his electoral defeat to President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva in 2022. The far-right leader has not been sent to a prison while he files an appeal.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Brazil’s solicitor-general Messias said he had received 鈥渁n unjust attack鈥 from the U.S. government, but will 鈥渃ontinue to work with vigor and awareness.”
On Friday, Brazil鈥檚 health minister said he will not attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week because the U.S. government gave him 鈥渁n unacceptable visa鈥 with mobility restrictions within the country.
The Lula administration protested to the United Nations after Padilha received a much-delayed U.S. visa that limited his movement in New York to the U.N. headquarters and a few blocks close to his hotel. The health minister stayed in Brazil and took part of against a potential amnesty bill for Bolsonaro to avoid jail.
___
Follow AP鈥檚 coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
