WASHINGTON

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be placed under house arrest.

The decision came Monday as Bolsonaro is standing trial for allegedly plotting a coup.

Moraes justified the measure by citing Bolsonaro's participation via video message in a demonstration held Sunday in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.

According to the justice, Bolsonaro violated a social media ban that was imposed on him last month, when he was also ordered to wear an electronic ankle tag. The video was published by the former president's son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, but was removed hours later.

In his ruling, Moraes said that Bolsonaro’s participation was “covert” and demonstrated “illegal conduct.”

"Acting illegally, the accused Jair Messias Bolsonaro addressed the protesters...intentionally and consciously producing prefabricated material so that his supporters continued their attempts to coerce the Federal Supreme Court and obstruct justice," the document said. "Justice will not allow an accused to be considered a fool, believing that he will remain unpunished because he has political and economic power," it added.

The house arrest order also prohibits visits, with the exception of lawyers and others authorized by the Supreme Court. Federal police have been instructed to collect all mobile phones from the property.

The Sunday demonstration drew thousands of Bolsonaro supporters to the streets in several Brazilian cities. The protest was spurred by the United States’ recent sanctions against Brazil and Justice Moraes, who is overseeing the trial against the far-right ex-president.

'Let Bolsonaro speak!'

In his decision, Moraes highlighted that Bolsonaro had participated remotely in events where demonstrators used American flags to show support for the US sanctions imposed on Brazil, which he said was an attempt to coerce the Supreme Court.

US President Donald Trump recently imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in response to what he called a “witch-hunt” against Bolsonaro, who is accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election won by his opponent, current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison.

The US on Monday condemned Moraes’ order imposing house arrest on Bolsonaro and said it will hold accountable all those "aiding and abetting" sanctioned conduct.

"Justice Moraes, now a U.S.-sanctioned human rights abuser, continues to use Brazil’s institutions to silence opposition and threaten democracy," the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said on X.

"Putting even more restrictions on Jair Bolsonaro’s ability to defend himself in public is not a public service. Let Bolsonaro speak!" it added.

*Diyar Guldogan from Washington, DC contributed to this report.