Marco Rubio revokes visas for Brazil Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his 'allies on the court' over 'political witch hunt' against Jair Bolsonaro

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the visas for Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes as well as the justice’s "allies on the court" over the "political witch hunt" against Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro. 

The Secretary of State's office said in a press release that President Donald Trump will "hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States," and that Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes' actions in crafting a "political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro" resulted in a "persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil’s shores to target Americans."

As a result, Rubio's office said that he would be revoking Moraes' visa to the United States along with the visas belonging to his "allies on the court" and their "immediate family members effective immediately." 

The move from Rubio comes as Trump has backed Bolsonaro in an ongoing trial against the former Brazilian president and labeled the trial a "witch hunt." Bolsonaro is on trial for allegations that he plotted to stop current Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from being elected in 2022.

Bolsonaro has denied the allegations that he attempted to stage a coup in an effort to throw the election. On Friday, police raided Bolsonaro's home and political headquarters following a Supreme Court order, per the BBC.

He will now be placed under 24-hour surveillance and has to comply with a curfew at night. Bolsonaro is accused, along with seven others, of events which led to supporters of Bolsonaro storming government buildings in January 2023, a week after Lula was elected. Bolsonaro was in the US at the time of the events. Despite this, the Brazilian government has released a 884-page report alleging that "then-President Jair Messias Bolsonaro planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organization aiming to launch a coup d'etat and eliminate the democratic rule of law."