Brazil’s legal and political landscape was rocked on November 14, 2025, as a panel of the country’s Supreme Court voted to put Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, on trial for obstruction of justice. The decision, which has drawn international attention, centers on allegations that Eduardo Bolsonaro used threats and sought foreign intervention to sway the outcome of his father’s high-profile coup case.
According to AP News, the charges against Eduardo Bolsonaro stem from accusations that he attempted to interfere with ongoing legal proceedings against his father by urging foreign governments—most notably the United States—to pressure Brazilian officials. Prosecutors allege that these efforts included encouraging the imposition of economic sanctions, such as tariffs, in a bid to intimidate the court into dismissing the case against Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced in September 2025 to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting to subvert the results of Brazil’s 2022 presidential election.
The Supreme Court decision was reached by a majority of three out of five justices, with Justices Flávio Dino and Cristiano Zanin joining the case’s rapporteur, Alexandre de Moraes, in accepting the indictment. The panel’s vote remains technically open until November 25, but such reversals are rare, making Eduardo Bolsonaro’s trial all but certain. If convicted, he could face one to four years in prison and a fine.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, currently a lawmaker living in self-imposed exile in the United States, has vehemently denied the charges, calling them “political persecution.” In a statement posted to social media, he described the proceedings as a “WITCH HUNT” and insisted, “Tariffs and the application of the Magnitsky Act are neither at my disposal nor illegal. It is clear that Moraes wants to convict me.” He further questioned the democratic nature of the process, asking, “Can this be called democracy?”
The case has roots that stretch back to the aftermath of the 2022 election, when Jair Bolsonaro, a polarizing figure in Brazilian politics, lost his bid for re-election. Rather than concede, Bolsonaro and his supporters—among them his son Eduardo—allegedly plotted to overturn the results. The elder Bolsonaro was convicted in September 2025 of attempting a coup and has been under house arrest since August, pending the exhaustion of his appeals. Just last week, the Supreme Court panel unanimously rejected his requests to reduce his sentence, according to Al Jazeera.
Eduardo Bolsonaro’s alleged involvement in the obstruction case is marked by his extensive efforts in the United States. As reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters, Eduardo relocated to the U.S. in March 2025, explicitly stating that he would “focus 100 percent of my time on this single cause: to seek justice” for his father. He became a frequent presence at Trump-aligned events, even donning a green cap emblazoned with “Make Brazil Great Again.”
The Supreme Court’s indictment points to Eduardo’s lobbying of the Trump administration as a central element of the alleged coercion. Justice Alexandre de Moraes wrote in his opinion, “There is significant evidence that Eduardo Nantes Bolsonaro’s actions aimed to create an environment of institutional and social instability, applying increasing sanctions to Brazilian authorities and causing economic harm to Brazil.” The evidence cited includes private messages where Eduardo reportedly told his father that pressure from then-U.S. President Donald Trump was his “only chance to avoid prison.”
The international dimension of the case quickly became apparent. In July 2025, President Trump issued a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, decrying the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro as a “Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” Trump threatened steep tariffs if the case continued, and soon followed through, imposing 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports—the highest rate for any country globally at the time, as noted by Al Jazeera. Trump also accused Brazil of censoring right-wing voices, including the former president.
The Trump administration did not stop at economic measures. On July 18, the U.S. Department of State announced visa revocations for Justice de Moraes, his family, and other Brazilian officials. By the end of July, de Moraes was sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a tool typically reserved for grave human rights abuses and corruption. The sanctions were later extended to de Moraes’s wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes.
Eduardo Bolsonaro has openly acknowledged his support for Trump’s actions. In an interview with BBC News in Washington, D.C., he said, “I admire President Trump. We’ve met several times in his first and second term. We fought first to sanction Alexandre de Moraes. But if President Trump starts with tariffs, I do believe that he is right and I do support him because of that.”
Despite these admissions, Eduardo maintains that he cannot be held criminally responsible for the U.S. government’s decisions. “The crime of coercion requires two elements: an instrument available to the alleged perpetrator + an illegal tool. Tariffs and the application of the Magnitsky Act are neither at my disposal nor illegal,” he argued on social media.
The legal proceedings have not been without their complications. Eduardo Bolsonaro did not appoint a lawyer for his defense, prompting Justice de Moraes to order the Union’s Public Defender’s Office to represent him, as reported by Nova News. He was charged alongside blogger Paulo Figueiredo, a longtime U.S. resident, though their cases are being handled separately due to difficulties in notifying Figueiredo.
For supporters of the Bolsonaros, the trial is seen as a politically motivated attack on the family and their movement. Detractors, however, argue that the proceedings are a necessary step to uphold the rule of law and protect Brazil’s democratic institutions. International observers are watching closely, as the case has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the use of foreign influence and economic pressure in domestic legal matters.
As the clock ticks toward the November 25 deadline for the Supreme Court panel’s final vote, the fate of Eduardo Bolsonaro remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the trial will have far-reaching implications for Brazil’s judiciary, its politics, and its relationship with the United States. The world will be watching as one of Brazil’s most prominent political families faces its most serious legal challenge yet.
