A Brazilian Supreme Court judge on Monday threatened Jair Bolsonaro with imprisonment after a video of him giving a speech to media outlets was circulated on social media by his allies — violating a social media ban.
A document accessed by news agencies AFP and Reuters gave Bolsonaro’s lawyers 24 hours to explain why he breached the restrictions placed on the far-right politician.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, on Friday, ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle braceletand banned him from using social media over allegations of planning a coup to oust elected president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
On Monday, the judge clarified that the ban included the use of social media through third parties. The clarification has sparked a debate in Brazil over whether a social media ban should include news interviews.
Bolsonaro is also said to have pursued interference from US President Donald Trump who placed steep new tariffs on Brazil, tying the decision to what he called a “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro. His reprimands include a ban from approaching embassies or foreign governments.
Bolsonaro made the speech to journalists on Friday after attending Congress, where he first displayed his ankle monitor.
The video of Bolsonaro’s speech was not posted from his own social media account. However, it was shared by his sons and political allies.
Moraes showed these posts to journalists in Congress, saying he believed the former president delivered the speech with the intention of it being shared on social media.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo claimed that the Brazilian Supreme Court had passed an order to freeze his accounts and assets.
The third of four sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro is a congressman who has been in Washington to gather support for his father.
