The United States removed Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from its sanctions list on Friday, reversing a decision made earlier over his role in leading the trial against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Alongside de Moraes, his wife and the Lex Institute, which she leads, were also taken off the list, according to documents from the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Brazil’s government welcomed the move, which followed a weekend phone conversation between then-President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Trump administration had initially sanctioned de Moraes in July, accusing him of using his position to authorize arbitrary pretrial detentions and suppress freedom of expression in Brazil.

In August 2024, de Moraes ordered the suspension of Elon Musk’s X platform in Brazil over allegations that it was not effectively addressing misinformation. The ban was lifted two months later. At that time, Musk was a major ally of Trump and was helping finance his presidential campaign.

A senior Trump administration official, speaking anonymously to discuss foreign policy interests, said the sanctions were lifted because the passage of an important amnesty bill by Brazil’s lower house signaled improving conditions regarding lawfare in the country.

This decision marks a thaw in the previously frosty relationship between the United States and Brazil, following several meetings and calls described positively by both governments. Trump had viewed Lula’s predecessor, Bolsonaro, as an ally; Bolsonaro was even dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics” upon taking office.

During Bolsonaro’s trial, Trump called the proceedings an “international disgrace.” In a July 9 letter to Lula posted on social media, Trump described the trial as a “witch hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” When announcing de Moraes’ sanction in July, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the judge of abusing his authority by engaging in a politically motivated effort to silence critics through secret orders compelling online platforms—including U.S. social media companies—to ban accounts posting protected speech. Rubio further alleged that de Moraes authorized unjust pretrial detentions and undermined freedom of expression.

Bolsonaro was accused of masterminding a plot to remain in power despite his 2022 election defeat to Lula. He was convicted and sentenced to more than 27 years in prison. The embattled 70-year-old leader began serving his sentence last month, while requesting house arrest due to poor health. Though his arrest sparked concerns about potential upheaval, none materialized. However, Bolsonaro remains a politically powerful figure heading into next year’s elections.

Brazil’s current government has characterized the lifting of sanctions as a “big defeat” for Bolsonaro’s family. Gleisi Hoffmann, Brazil’s minister for institutional relations, stated: “It was Lula who put this repeal [of the sanctions] on Donald Trump’s desk, in a dignifying and sovereign dialogue. It is a big defeat for the family of Jair Bolsonaro, traitors who have conspired against Brazil and the judiciary.”

Lula’s leftist administration has long accused Eduardo Bolsonaro, a lawmaker and son of the former president, of misleading Trump about de Moraes and other court members. Eduardo Bolsonaro expressed regret upon hearing the news of the sanctions being lifted from de Moraes. The younger Bolsonaro, who announced in March that he would live in the U.S. to lobby the Trump administration to help his father avoid jail, affirmed he would continue fighting for Jair Bolsonaro.

Commenting on the situation after Trump’s reversal, Eduardo Bolsonaro wrote on social media: “The lack of internal cohesion and the insufficient support for initiatives pursued abroad contributed to the worsening of the current situation. We sincerely hope that President Donald Trump’s decision will be successful in defending the strategic interests of the American people, as is his duty.”

When initially sanctioning de Moraes, the Treasury Department cited the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which targets perpetrators of human rights abuses and corrupt officials. De Moraes condemned the use of the act against him as “illegal and regrettable.”

Also in July, the Trump administration imposed a 40% tariff on Brazilian products, on top of an existing 10% tariff, justifying the move by citing Brazil’s policies and the prosecution of Bolsonaro as constituting an economic emergency. However, last month the White House announced it was removing the 40% tariffs on certain Brazilian imports, including beef and coffee.

The United States ran a $6.8 billion trade surplus with Brazil last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Trump and Lula began repairing their relationship at the United Nations General Assembly in September, followed by their first private meeting in Malaysia in October and subsequent phone conversations. The Brazilian president stated that his efforts targeted not only reversing the tariff increases but also ending the sanctions on de Moraes and some members of his government who were also affected by U.S. measures.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-removes-brazilian-supreme-court-judge-alexandre-de-moraes-sanctions-list/