US Lifts Sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes After Trump-Lula Talks

The United States has removed Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his wife from its sanctions list, marking a significant diplomatic development in U.S.-Brazil relations following months of tension over the judge's handling of cases involving former President Jair Bolsonaro. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control officially lifted the sanctions on Friday, also removing Viviane Barci de Moraes and the Lex Institute, which she leads, from the restricted list. The decision came after a weekend phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Justice de Moraes had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions since July, with his wife added to the list in September. The Trump administration initially imposed these measures, accusing the justice of using his position to authorize arbitrary pretrial detentions and suppress freedom of expression in Brazil during his oversight of cases against Bolsonaro and his supporters. A senior Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions were lifted after the U.S. observed the passage of an important amnesty bill by Brazil's lower house, viewing it as a signal that "lawfare conditions in Brazil are improving." The official indicated this legislative development demonstrated progress in addressing American concerns about judicial overreach. The sanctions removal represents a major diplomatic victory for President Lula, who had repeatedly requested the measure during negotiations with Trump. The Brazilian government celebrated the move, which comes amid broader discussions about trade relations, including Trump's imposition of 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports. The decision marks a significant setback for Bolsonaro and his allies, particularly his congressman son Eduardo Bolsonaro, who had left his position in Brazil to lobby in Washington for punitive measures against what he characterized as "persecution" of his father. The younger Bolsonaro had been advocating for continued pressure on the Brazilian judicial system. Justice de Moraes has been a central figure in Brazil's legal proceedings against Bolsonaro, overseeing cases related to the former president's alleged attempts to undermine democratic institutions. The justice's role in these high-profile cases made him a target of criticism from Bolsonaro supporters and, ultimately, U.S. sanctions. The Global Magnitsky sanctions program targets individuals accused of human rights abuses and corruption worldwide. The removal of de Moraes and his wife from this list suggests a shift in the U.S. assessment of the Brazilian judicial system's handling of politically sensitive cases. This development reflects the complex intersection of domestic Brazilian politics and international diplomacy, as both countries navigate their relationship amid ongoing political tensions in Brazil and changing U.S. foreign policy priorities under the Trump administration.