Rubio Revokes Brazilian Supreme Court Judge’s Visa For Bolsonaro Prosecution

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared late Friday that the United States has annulled the visas of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, along with several of his judicial associates and their immediate family members, in reaction to what he termed a “political witch hunt” aimed at former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

“[President Trump] has made it clear that his administration will hold foreign nationals accountable for the censorship of protected expression within the United States,” Rubio, who also serves as President Trump’s national security adviser, stated in a post on the social media platform X.

“The political witch hunt led by Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes against Jair Bolsonaro has fostered a climate of persecution and censorship so extensive that it not only infringes upon the fundamental rights of Brazilians but also reaches beyond Brazil’s borders to target Americans,” Rubio added.

“Consequently, I have ordered the immediate revocation of visas for Moraes and his court allies, as well as their immediate family members,” he further remarked.

The announcement from the secretary of state followed shortly after Brazil’s highest court issued restraining orders and search warrants against former President Jair Bolsonaro, prohibiting him from contacting foreign officials. Authorities also fitted Bolsonaro with an ankle monitor and executed a police raid on his home, as reported by The Hill.

In a ruling made on Friday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes prohibited former President Jair Bolsonaro—who faced charges last year for attempting to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election—from utilizing social media. Moraes expressed concerns that Bolsonaro might attempt to escape the country, a claim that the former president has refuted.

Just days prior, President Trump escalated pressure on Brazil by threatening to implement a 50 percent tariff on all imports from the nation in reaction to the ongoing prosecution of Bolsonaro regarding allegations of election fraud.

“I feel a profound sense of humiliation,” the former leader expressed to Reuters in a recent interview. “I am 70 years old, and I served as president of the republic for four years.”

Bolsonaro, along with several of his associates who argue that the charges are politically motivated, was indicted in February for an alleged attempt at a “coup” and for efforts to cling to power following his 2022 electoral defeat to the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Additionally, he has been prohibited from seeking public office until 2030, as reported by The Hill.

In a separate development, Venezuela released 10 detained U.S. citizens and permanent residents on Friday as part of a deal that facilitated the return of numerous migrants who had been previously deported by the United States to El Salvador during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, officials confirmed.

This three-nation agreement represents a diplomatic achievement for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, supports President Donald Trump’s initiative to repatriate Americans imprisoned abroad, and fulfills a prisoner exchange proposal that was initiated months earlier by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, according to The Associated Press.

“Every American wrongfully detained in Venezuela is now free and back in our homeland,” Rubio stated in a declaration where he expressed gratitude to Bukele, a Trump ally.

Bukele mentioned that his country had released all Venezuelan nationals in its custody. Maduro characterized Friday as “a day of blessings and good news for Venezuela,” calling it “the perfect day for Venezuela.”

Central to the agreement are over 250 Venezuelan migrants who were freed by El Salvador after being held in its infamous mega-prison, the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).

In March, El Salvador consented to a payment of $6 million from the Trump administration for the detention of migrants, the majority of whom were alleged to have connections to the violent Tren de Aragua street gang.

This agreement provoked swift criticism after Trump referenced the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to hasten their deportation, resulting in a prominent legal conflict that ultimately escalated to the U.S. Supreme Court.