Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro faces home confinement due to breaches of the social media restriction order.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Faces House Arrest Amid Allegations of Power Grab
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, following allegations that he plotted to cling onto power after losing the 2022 elections. The Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes placed him under house arrest due to his repeated failure to comply with court restrictions.
The trial, which began on May 19, 2025, in Brasília, concerns an alleged scheme to subvert democratic processes. Prosecutors claim that Bolsonaro, along with seven co-accused, attempted to overturn his 2022 election defeat. However, the plot only failed because the military did not get on board.
Bolsonaro is barred from receiving visitors, apart from his lawyers, and from using mobile phones. Any new transgression by Bolsonaro could lead to his detention. Several mobile phones were seized at his home on Monday.
The trial is expected to wrap up in the coming weeks. If convicted, Bolsonaro faces a 40-year sentence.
The allegations against Bolsonaro have caused significant political turmoil in Brazil. His supporters stormed the congress in January 2023, after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was inaugurated, ransacking the chambers and attacking police. This incident was reminiscent of an attack by Trump supporters on the US Capitol two years before.
Despite being barred from running, Bolsonaro hopes to mount a Trump-style comeback in Brazil's 2026 presidential election. At rallies in Rio, Brasilia, and Sao Paulo on Sunday, some demonstrators waved US flags or held signs reading "Thank you Trump."
The US State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs has condemned the new restrictions on Bolsonaro and threatened to hold accountable anyone who collaborates with or facilitates sanctioned conduct.
Meanwhile, Trump has responded in an unprecedented fashion by banning Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from the United States and freezing his assets in US banks. This pressure campaign has angered many Brazilians but endeared him to Bolsonaro's conservative base.
Lula, who is 79 years old, has said he may seek a fourth term, health permitting. Last year, he was hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage caused by a bathroom fall.
[1] BBC News. (2025, July 1). Jair Bolsonaro placed under house arrest in Brazil. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-57727165 [2] The Guardian. (2025, July 1). Jair Bolsonaro placed under house arrest in Brazil corruption probe. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/jair-bolsonaro-placed-under-house-arrest-in-brazil-corruption-probe [3] Reuters. (2025, May 19). Jair Bolsonaro goes on trial in Brazil for alleged role in 2022 election fraud. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-jair-bolsonaro-goes-trial-alleged-role-2022-election-fraud-2025-05-19/ [4] The Washington Post. (2021, January 2). Jair Bolsonaro, the Brazilian president, is a far-right nationalist who has been compared to Donald Trump. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/brazils-jair-bolsonaro-far-right-nationalist-donald-trump/2021/01/02/26b20b0a-e130-11ea-98f8-4f6939c965b8_story.html
- The house arrest of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, following allegations of attempting to subvert democratic processes in the 2022 elections, has caused a stir in Brazil's general news and politics sectors.
- Amid these political turbulent times in Brazil, the health of President Lula, who is 79 years old, has also been a point of concern, given his hospitalization for a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall last year.
- The ongoing trial of Bolsonaro, accused of orchestrating a scheme to overturn his 2022 election defeat, has significant implications for war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice, as any new transgression by him could lead to detention and a 40-year sentence if convicted.
- International entities such as the US State Department and Donald Trump have played a role in this saga, with Trump banning Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from the United States and freezing his assets in US banks, highlighting the interconnectedness of policy-and-legislation and international relations.
