RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The ongoing feud between the U.S. and Brazil escalated on Friday after Brazil's Supreme Court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro—an ally of Donald Trump—to wear an electronic ankle monitor, citing him as a flight risk.
The court says Bolsonaro sought interference from the U.S. president to undermine the Brazilian judiciary—allegations that come amid growing tensions between the two countries.
Police raided Bolsonaro's home and party headquarters early Friday morning, fitting the far-right leader with the tracking device. The court also imposed a nighttime and weekend curfew and barred him from contacting foreign diplomats, visiting embassies, or using social media.
Bolsonaro, who is facing charges of plotting a coup to remain in power after losing Brazil's 2022 election, called the measures a "supreme humiliation." Speaking outside a federal police station, he denied planning to flee and claimed that the $14,000 found in his home was legally obtained.
On Thursday night President Trump posted a letter on his Truth Social platform demanding the case be dropped. He has repeatedly threatened 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods if the prosecution continues. "I will be watching closely," Trump wrote.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva fired back, calling Trump's threats "blackmail" and vowing not to bow to foreign pressure.
"No gringo is going to give orders to this president," Lula told a cheering crowd using the common Brazilian slang for foreigners.
Lula says Brazil is weighing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including tech firms. The confrontation has helped revive his flagging popularity, as many Brazilians view Trump's remarks as overreach.
"U.S. observers are underestimating the power of Brazilian nationalism," said political scientist Oliver Stuenkel of FGV University. "There's a strong response to what's seen as aggressive interference by Trump."
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court judge who is overseeing Bolsonaro's case, is increasingly a target of conservative U.S. figures for his crackdown on misinformation and social media platforms. Trump's media company, Trump Media and Technology Group, has even filed suit against him in a Florida court, accusing him of violating free speech.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro's son Eduardo—currently in the U.S.—has been lobbying Trump to pressure Brazil's institutions. In a statement posted on social media Eduardo called for Brazil to "act like a dignified democracy."
But he's now barred from speaking to his father. The court's order prohibits Bolsonaro from contacting others facing charges, including his son, who also claims to be a victim of political persecution.
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