“I have therefore ordered visa revocations for Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members effective immediately,” Marco Rubio said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late Friday that the United States has revoked the visas of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his judicial allies, and their immediate families.
The move, he said, responds to a “political witch hunt” targeting Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Rubio, also President Trump’s National Security Adviser, said the decision aligns with Trump’s commitment to “hold accountable foreign nationals responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States.”
“Justice Moraes’s political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it… extends beyond Brazil’s shores,” Rubio posted on X.
The announcement followed court-ordered raids on Bolsonaro’s home, an ankle monitor placement, and a social media ban issued by Moraes. Bolsonaro, indicted over alleged coup attempts post-2022 election, denies wrongdoing.
Earlier, Trump threatened Brazil with a 50% tariff over Bolsonaro’s prosecution, calling the ongoing legal action “election interference.”