Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday (30) the inclusion of the Supreme Court (STF) Minister Alexandre de Moraes in the so-called Global Magnitsky Law, a device used by the US government to punish with foreign financial restrictions accused of violating human rights or committing corruption acts.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited some reasons that led Washington to decide on sanctions, blocking the minister’s goods and properties in the United States and prohibit US citizens to make any transaction with him indefinitely. Moraes will not even be able to use American flag credit cards, which also affects their transactions in Brazil.
Censorship, arbitrary arrests and politicized processes
In the statement issued by the Treasury Foreign Asset Control Office (OFAC), Bessent said the measures were taken in response to Moraes’ actions in the Supreme Court.
He was considered by the US as “responsible for a repressive censorship campaign, arbitrary arrests that violate human rights and politicized lawsuits, including former President Jair Bolsonaro.”
According to the document, Moraes has also become complicit in assisting and encouraging an illegal censorship campaign against US citizens and companies within the US.
Political persecution to opponents
“[Alexandre] De Moraes targets opposition politicians, including former President Jair Bolsonaro, journalists, newspapers, US social media platforms, and other American and international companies. American journalists and citizens were not spared the extraterritorial reach of Moraes, “says an excerpt from the statement.
On several occasions, President Donald Trump has classified Bolsonaro’s trial in Brazil as a “witch hunt”. On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department reiterated this position by announcing sanctions against Moraes.
“Alexandre de Moraes assumed for himself the role of judge and jury in a hunting for illegal witches against citizens and companies from the United States and Brazil, “the folder said.
