Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

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JUL 15

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story last updated JUL 15

The Spin

Brazil's democracy is under attack from an authoritarian Supreme Court that has overstepped its bounds since 2019, empowering itself to investigate, prosecute and judge political cases while silencing criticism by labeling it "antidemocratic." Justice Alexandre de Moraes shows clear bias against Bolsonaro and has moved to censor political speech despite a 2014 law protecting tech companies from content liability. The deterioration of democratic norms and rule of law makes Brazil's judicial system untrustworthy.

Wall Street Journal

Trump's crude blackmail attempt against Brazil is doomed to fail and represents an authoritarian fantasy that a sovereign nation's judiciary would halt prosecutions to avoid economic retaliation. The tariff threat undermines U.S. leadership by violating World Trade Organization commitments while strengthening Lula's position domestically. Trump's justifications are riddled with lies since the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Brazil, not a deficit.

Folha de S.Paulo

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 32% chance that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be reelected as Brazil's president in October 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.