Jair Bolsonaro’s defense team said on Monday (Aug. 4) that it was surprised by the decision of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the former president to be placed under house arrest.
According to his lawyers, Bolsonaro did not violate the precautionary measure that prohibits him from using social media, including third-party accounts.
“The defense was surprised by the house arrest order, given that former President Jair Bolsonaro did not violate any measures,” the defense said.
The lawyers stated they will appeal the decision.
“The phrase ‘Good afternoon, Copacabana. Good afternoon, my Brazil. A hug to all. It is for our freedom. We are together’ cannot be considered a violation of the precautionary measure or a criminal act,” the lawyers argue.
Precautionary measures
Last month, Moraes imposed several precautionary measures on Bolsonaro, including the use of an electronic ankle bracelet and restrictions on social media use, including third-party accounts.
In the decision handed down on Monday, the justice noted that Flávio Bolsonaro and two other sons of the former president, Carlos and Eduardo, posted messages on their social media accounts thanking supporters who attended the events on Sunday (3).
According to Moraes, this constituted a violation of the previously imposed restrictions.
The precautionary measures were issued as part of an investigation into Federal Representative Eduardo Bolsonaro (Liberal Party–São Paulo), son of the former president, regarding his actions involving the administration of US President Donald Trump to promote retaliatory measures against the Brazilian government and Supreme Court justices.
In March of this year, Eduardo Bolsonaro took a leave of absence from his congressional mandate and moved to the United States, claiming political persecution.
In this case, the former president is under investigation for allegedly funding his son’s stay abroad.
Bolsonaro is also a defendant in the Supreme Court case involving the coup plot, with the trial scheduled for September.
Source: Agência Brasil