U.S. Revokes Visas of Brazilian Supreme Court Justices Amid Rising Tensions Over Bolsonaro Prosecution

In a sharp rebuke to Brazil’s judiciary, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late Friday the revocation of visas belonging to Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, several of his judicial colleagues, and their immediate families. The move, according to Rubio, is a response to what he termed a “political witch hunt” against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

Rubio, who also serves as President Trump’s national security adviser, issued a public statement on social media platform X, declaring that the United States would not stand by as foreign officials suppress free expression—even when it crosses international borders.

“President Trump made it clear that his administration will hold accountable any foreign national who engages in the censorship of protected speech in the United States,” Rubio stated. “The persecution of Bolsonaro has not only violated fundamental rights within Brazil but has extended its reach to silence voices outside of it—including in the U.S.”

Rubio accused Moraes of weaponizing Brazil’s highest court to target political opponents and described the situation as an alarming abuse of power. “Moraes has created a system of censorship and persecution so far-reaching that it challenges the very principles of democracy,” he said. “Effective immediately, their visas are revoked.”

The Secretary of State’s remarks came on the heels of dramatic developments in Brazil, where the Supreme Federal Court issued a series of legal orders against Bolsonaro, including a restraining order, a ban on foreign communication, and an ankle monitor. Police also raided the former president’s home.

Moraes’s ruling, handed down earlier Friday, specifically prohibits Bolsonaro from using social media, citing concerns that the former president might flee the country. Bolsonaro, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, responded to the escalating measures with a rare interview to Reuters, expressing humiliation and disbelief at his treatment. “I am 70 years old,” he said. “I served as president for four years. And now, I’m being treated like a criminal.”

In addition to the legal measures, Bolsonaro has been banned from running for public office until 2030, stemming from charges that he tried to overturn the results of Brazil’s 2022 election. He and several allies were indicted in February, accused of orchestrating an effort to retain power despite losing to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro and his supporters claim the prosecutions are politically motivated and driven by Brazil’s increasingly activist judiciary.

In a parallel diplomatic maneuver, President Trump recently threatened a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, signaling a growing strain between the two countries as Bolsonaro’s legal troubles deepen. According to insiders, the tariff threat was meant to apply economic pressure on Brazil in retaliation for what U.S. officials see as unjust targeting of a former head of state.

As tensions rise in South America, the Trump administration also scored a diplomatic victory on another front. On the same day as the visa revocations, Venezuela released 10 detained U.S. citizens and legal residents in a high-stakes deal that also involved El Salvador and its controversial mega-prison policy.

The three-nation agreement is being hailed by the White House as a major win for American diplomacy. It also represents a rare moment of cooperation between the Trump administration and leaders from Latin America, including Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

Rubio issued a statement following the release of the Americans, thanking both Maduro and Bukele for their roles in facilitating the exchange. “Every wrongfully detained American in Venezuela is now free and home again. We thank President Bukele for his leadership and coordination,” Rubio said.

The deal also included the repatriation of over 250 Venezuelan nationals from El Salvador’s infamous CECOT mega-prison. Most of the migrants had been accused of links to the violent Tren de Aragua gang, prompting their detention earlier this year.

In March, El Salvador received a $6 million payment from the Trump administration to continue detaining the migrants. However, growing legal concerns and international pressure prompted the release, coinciding with Trump’s decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act—a centuries-old law dating back to the 1790s—to fast-track deportations. This controversial use of executive power led to a legal showdown that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, intensifying the debate over presidential authority in matters of immigration and national security.

For Venezuela, the prisoner exchange was framed as a diplomatic triumph. “Today is a day of blessings for our nation,” President Maduro said. “A perfect day for Venezuela.”

As both the visa crackdown on Brazil and the prisoner swap with Venezuela unfold, they signal a bold shift in Trump’s foreign policy approach in his current term. With Rubio playing a central role, the administration appears poised to leverage both economic and diplomatic tools to confront what it sees as international overreach, censorship, and human rights violations—all while reinforcing its commitment to bringing detained Americans home.