U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday the United States "will respond accordingly" after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a coup to remain in power following his loss in the 2022 election, though he did not specify what form any response would take.
Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after Brazil's Supreme Court found him guilty of plotting to stop Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023. The conviction marks a sharp escalation in a series of legal actions that have roiled Brazilian politics and prompted a robust response from some U.S. officials allied with the former president.
Rubio posted on X that "the political persecutions by sanctioned human rights abuser Alexandre de Moraes continue, as he and others on Brazil's supreme court have unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro," adding, "The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt." Brazil's Foreign Ministry characterized Rubio's comment as a threat that "attacks Brazilian authority and ignores the facts and the compelling evidence in the records," and said Brazilian democracy would not be intimidated by the U.S. government.
The dispute follows a series of punitive measures the U.S. has taken against Brazilian authorities involved in Bolsonaro's prosecution. Rubio announced in July that Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, unspecified allies on the court and members of his immediate family would face visa revocations. The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on the judge, citing allegations that he authorized arbitrary pretrial detentions and suppressed freedom of expression.
The reaction in Washington has included high-level political commentary. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was an ally of Bolsonaro during his first term, told reporters he considered Bolsonaro a "good man" and compared the legal actions against Bolsonaro to criminal prosecutions Trump has faced. In July, the U.S. administration placed 50% tariffs on most Brazilian goods, citing what it called a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro; some exemptions were later granted for passenger vehicles and numerous aircraft parts and components.
Bolsonaro's son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, told Reuters he anticipated additional U.S. sanctions against Brazilian justices following his father's conviction. He warned that justices who voted to convict his father could face sanctions under the Magnitsky Act, the law that allows the U.S. to impose penalties for human rights abuses and corruption.
Brazil's Supreme Court has been conducting multiple probes connected to the 2022 election and the Jan. 8, 2023, riots that followed it, with Justice de Moraes playing a prominent role. De Moraes has been a frequent target of criticism from Bolsonaro allies who accuse him of overreach; U.S. actions against the justice represent an uncommon intervention into Brazil's judicial affairs by another government.
Legal experts and international observers have underscored the sensitivity of foreign interference claims in domestic judicial matters, noting that public statements and punitive measures can complicate diplomatic relations. The Brazilian government has defended the independence and legitimacy of its judicial process, while Bolsonaro's supporters have framed his prosecution as politically motivated.
The United States has not detailed what additional measures it might pursue in response to the conviction. Rubio's announcement follows previous steps by U.S. officials to signal disapproval of actions taken by Brazil's judiciary in the cases involving Bolsonaro, and it is likely to further intensify an already tense chapter in relations between Washington and Brasília.
Reuters contributed to this report.