Latest news with #EduardoBolsonaro
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brazil AG Wants Probe of Possible Insider Trading on US Tariffs
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil's attorney general is seeking a probe into possible insider trading in the country's currency markets around the announcement of US tariffs on Brazilian goods. Why the Federal Reserve's Building Renovation Costs $2.5 Billion Milan Corruption Probe Casts Shadow Over Property Boom Mumbai Facelift Is Inspired by 200-Year-Old New York Blueprint How San Jose's Mayor Is Working to Build an AI Capital The request follows local media reports of significant foreign exchange transactions before and after the official tariffs announcement, 'suggesting possible use of privileged information (insider trading) by individuals or legal entities,' according to a statement from the Brazilian attorney general's office. The office asked Brazil's Supreme Court to include the insider trading allegations as part of its inquiry into former President Jair Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, a lawmaker who has relocated to the US and pressed for action against the top court. That inquiry looks into whether the younger Bolsonaro used international tariffs to try to coerce Brazil's justice system. The request is the latest move in an escalating spat between the Brazilian and American governments. US President Donald Trump announced earlier this month a 50% tariff on imports from Brazil to take effect on Aug. 1. Trump cited the treatment of Jair Bolsonaro and demanded authorities drop charges against him over an alleged coup attempt. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva responded by saying his country won't be 'tutored,' and would respond to unilateral rate hikes by using Brazil's economic reciprocity law. Brazil's Supreme Court sent police to raid Bolsonaro's home on Friday and outfit him with an ankle monitor. He was banned from using social media and will have to comply with an evening curfew. Justice Alexandre de Moraes cited a flight risk and obstruction of justice as reasons for his measures. Later that same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he'd revoked a visa for Moraes, his close relatives and 'allies on the court.' A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border Thailand's Changing Cannabis Rules Leave Farmers in a Tough Spot How Starbucks' CEO Plans to Tame the Rush-Hour Free-for-All What the Tough Job Market for New College Grads Says About the Economy How Taylor Swift Turned a Glitter Freckle Maker Into a Sensation ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Bolsonaro's son, known as Number 3, pushes for US pressure on Brazil
Eduardo Bolsonaro is causing more commotion than he initially planned. The third son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been living in the United States since February while under investigation in Brazil for allegedly meddling in his father's coup-related case. Nicknamed "Number 3" by his father in a military-like manner, the 41-year-old has been in close contact with the White House, successfully lobbying for sanctions against the president of Brazil 's Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing his father's prosecution for allegedly plotting a coup in 2022 following now-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva 's victory. Moraes is also known for having temporarily banned Elon Musk's social media platform X in Brazil over its refusal to comply with court orders linked to widespread disinformation posted during the 2022 presidential race. US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Bolsonaro, first sending a letter to Lula demanding that the charges against Bolsonaro be dropped, and finally pulling out his favourite card since entering the White House: tariffs. Trump has threatened a 50 percent levy on Brazilian goods, calling the prosecution a 'witch hunt' that 'should end immediately'. On Friday, Brazil's Supreme Court issued search warrants and restraining orders against Jair Bolsonaro, banning him from contacting foreign officials for allegedly courting Trump's interference in the case. Federal police raided Bolsonaro's home and he was ordered to wear an ankle monitor. Bolsonaro was also banned from using social media and approaching embassies, according to the decision issued by Moraes, who cited a "concrete possibility" of the former president fleeing the country. The Supreme Court judge defended the measures as necessary given what he described as the father and son's "hostile acts" against Brazil. Washington responded by hitting Moraes with visa restrictions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Moraes' court orders a "political witch hunt" that had prompted him to make immediate visa revocations for "Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members". Trump's tariff threats seem to have bolstered the ruling Brazilian left, said Nicolas Saldias, a Latin America analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit to the The Guardian. Saldias said that Lula, who has started wearing a blue cap with the words "Brazil belongs to the Brazilians," stood to benefit significantly from Trump's pro-Bolsonaro intervention. "He's going to be seen as the defender of Brazilian nationalism, a kind of progressive nationalism," he said. For his part, Bolsonaro has been trying to protect his image in the eyes of the Brazilian public, saying on Tuesday that he and his son 'would've opposed the tariffs'. The former president also told Brazilian daily Poder 360 that he could fix the problem that he believes is escalating due to what he described as Lula's provocation of the US, but added that his current circumstances made it difficult. 'I don't even have a passport,' he said. Who is the 'diplomat' behind it all? Jair Bolsonaro may not have a passport, but his 'Number 3', born in Rio de Janeiro and a federal deputy for the state of Sao Paulo since 2015, clearly does – and has been making strategic use of it. In a video recorded outside the White House and posted Thursday on the federal congressman's YouTube channel, which has more than 6 million subscribers, Eduardo Bolsonaro announced that he had just wrapped up a series of meetings with US officials. 'Decisions are being made,' he said, alluding to possible sanctions against Moraes. Paulo Figueiredo – a far-right influencer who has been charged with taking part in the alleged coup – said on Wednesday that he had met with US officials and that decisions towards Brazil were not only "on the table" but were 'a priority' for the US president. It isn't the first time that Number 3 has worked as a 'diplomat' for his father's agenda. Eduardo, the only member of the Bolsonaro family fluent in English, quickly became an informal ambassador abroad during his father's campaign. His role representing Brazil's far right on the international stage began with the family's connection to Olavo de Carvalho, the late far-right ideologue who lived in the US, and Filipe Martins, one of Olavo's closest disciples with ties to white supremacists. Martins later became an international advisor to Bolsonaro. The Brazilian congressman embraced Carvalho's network, later aligning with figures such as Steve Bannon – Trump's former strategic advisor – helping introduce Trump-style populism into Brazilian politics. In a 2019 interview with Brazilian Piaui magazine, Eduardo Bolsonaro described his bond with Bannon as based on shared conservative values and a common worldview, saying the accusations of racism or extremism against Bannon had never bothered him. "Everyone who is right-wing and steps outside of political correctness receives these labels," he said. "When I heard this kind of accusation against him, in my mind it was a positive point in favour of Steve Bannon." Back in 2019, Bolsonaro announced his intention to nominate his son as Brazil's ambassador to Washington. Eduardo then began meeting with senators to gather support for the appointment, which required Senate approval. But he faced strong resistance from some lawmakers, and the government was never able to secure the necessary votes. Facing mounting pressure, Eduardo ultimately withdrew his candidacy, declaring in a Chamber of Deputies speech that he would remain in Brazil to defend conservative values and support his father's government. 'I'm staying to ensure the tsunami of the 2018 election becomes a permanent wave,' he said. A narrative he has clung to relentlessly for the past seven years.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Brazil's Bolsonaro ordered to wear ankle monitor
Brasilia: Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor. The decision came as authorities searched the former president's home and party headquarters in Brasília on Friday. He was additionally ordered to stop using social media and to cease communications with diplomats. The former president is also banned from contacting others under investigation, including his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian lawmaker living in the US with close ties to President Donald Trump. The measures are reportedly aimed at preventing Bolsonaro from fleeing to the US, where Trump has threatened steep tariffs on Brazilian imports in an effort to ease legal pressure on the former president. Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, said he never considered fleeing the country and called the court's measure his "supreme humiliation." Trump, who maintained a friendly relationship with Bolsonaro while both were in office, has repeatedly claimed the former Brazilian president is the victim of a "witch hunt." "I have seen the terrible treatment you are receiving at the hands of an unjust system turned against you," Trump wrote in a letter to Bolsonaro that he posted on social media Thursday night, before the raids and court order. Trump also said his proposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports were intended to pressure Brazilian authorities into dropping the charges. Unlike Trump's other tariffs, including those imposed on US allies, the ones targeting Brazil, set to take effect in August, were announced in openly political terms. At the time, he said they were a response to "Brazil's insidious attacks on Free Elections." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the threatened duty "unacceptable blackmail." The Supreme Court's restrictions on Bolsonaro also stem from a second investigation into his son Eduardo, who is accused of collaborating with US authorities to sanction Brazilian officials. On Wednesday, Eduardo posted a video filmed outside the White House, saying he had just concluded a round of meetings with US officials. He had reportedly urged senior White House officials to impose sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes overseeing his father's prosecution. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that Moraes' US visa has been revoked, along with Brazilian judges who side with Moraes. Bolsonaro senior told the Reuters news agency he expects his son to seek US citizenship instead of returning from the United States. Moraes said the former president and his son Eduardo had incited "hostile acts" against Brazil. The judge stressed that Bolsonaro had asked the "head of state of a foreign nation" to interfere in the Brazilian courts.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Brazil's former president Bolsonaro ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor, his press office said on Friday. The development came as federal police conducted searches at his home and his party's headquarters in Brasilia, according to people familiar with the court order. Local media reported that Bolsonaro is also barred from using social media or contacting other individuals under investigation by the Supreme Federal Court, including his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian lawmaker who currently lives in the United States and is known for his close ties to US President Donald Trump. A police statement said that officers in Brasilia carried out two search and seizure warrants in addition to precautionary measures other than arrest in compliance with a decision by the Supreme Court. The statement did not name Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is currently on trial at the Supreme Court accused of leading an alleged attempt to stage a coup to overturn the 2022 election in which he was defeated by left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Live aerial footage from local broadcasters showed federal police vehicles outside Bolsonaro's residence in Brasília. Congressman Sostenes Cavalcante, the leader of Bolsonaro's party in the lower house, told The Associated Press that officers also searched Bolsonaro's office at the party's headquarters. He described the operation as 'another chapter in the persecution of conservatives and right-wing figures in Brazil.' A lawyer for Bolsonaro did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Tuesday, Brazil's Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet said in a report to the Supreme Court that 'the evidence is clear: the defendant acted systematically throughout his mandate and after his defeat at the polls to incite insurrection and the destabilization of the democratic rule of law.' Bolsonaro has described the trial on X as a 'witch hunt,' echoing a term used by Trump when he came to his South American ally's defense last week. Last week, Trump imposed a 50 percent import tax on Brazil, directly tying the tariffs to Bolsonaro's trial. The US president has hosted the former Brazilian president at his Mar-a-Lago resort when both were in power in 2020. Trump compared the Brazilian's situation to his own. On Tuesday, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump repeated the claim that the trial is a 'witch hunt.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brazil police raid home of Bolsonaro, accused of plotting coup
Brazilian police raided Jair Bolsonaro's home Friday, as a judge imposed further restrictions on the far-right former leader while he stands trial on coup charges that have vexed US president and ally Donald Trump. His son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a congressman who recently moved to the United States to lobby for his father, wrote on X that federal police carried out a "raid on my father's home this morning." He lashed out at Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, a Bolsonaro adversary who on Friday ordered the ex-president to wear an electronic ankle bracelet, not leave his home at night, or use social media. Moraes, one of the judges in Bolsonaro's trial for allegedly seeking to nullify leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's 2022 election victory, said the measures were necessary given the "hostile acts" against Brazil by the accused and his son. This came after Trump announced a 50 percent tariff on the South American powerhouse for what he said was a "witch hunt" against his ally Bolsonaro. Moraes, said Eduardo Bolsonaro, "has long abandoned any semblance of impartiality and now operates as a political gangster in robes, using the Supreme Court as his personal weapon." The judge was "trying to criminalize President Trump and the US government. Powerless against them, he chose to take my father hostage," he added in a letter he signed as a "Brazilian congressman in exile." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday Washington was revoking a US visa for Moraes for his "political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro." - 'Supreme humiliation' - Accusing him of creating a "persecution and censorship complex," Rubio also announced visa restrictions on other judges who side with Moraes, as well as their immediate family members. Bolsonaro, 70, described the Moraes order Friday as a "supreme humiliation" and said the prohibitions were "suffocating." It also prohibited him from approaching foreign embassies, and confined him to his home on weekdays between 7:00 pm and 6:00 am, and all day on weekends or public holidays. "I never thought about leaving Brazil, I never thought about going to an embassy," Bolsonaro insisted on emerging from the justice secretariat offices in Brasilia. He had been taken there after the raid, during which police seized cash. His defense team in a statement expressed "surprise and indignation" at the new measures. The former army captain denies he was involved in an attempt to wrest power back from Lula as part of an alleged coup plot that prosecutors say failed only for a lack of military backing. After the plot fizzled, rioting supporters known as "Bolsonaristas" raided government buildings in early 2023 as they urged the military to oust Lula. Bolsonaro was abroad at the time. The case against Bolsonaro carries echoes of Trump's failed prosecution over the January 6, 2021 attacks by his supporters on the US Capitol to try and reverse his election loss to Joe Biden. Both men have claimed to be victims of political persecution, and Trump has stepped in in defense of his ally, to the anger of Lula who has labeled the tariff threat "unacceptable blackmail." Washington also announced an investigation into "unfair trading practices" by Brazil, a move that could provide a legal basis for imposing tariffs on South America's largest economy. On Tuesday, prosecutors asked the trial judges of the Supreme Court to find Bolsonaro guilty of "armed criminal association" and planning to "violently overthrow the democratic order." The defense must still present its closing arguments, after which a five-member panel of judges including Moraes will decide the ex-president's fate. Bolsonaro and seven co-accused risk up to 40 years in prison. He has repeatedly stated his desire to be a candidate in presidential elections next year, but has been ruled ineligible to hold office by a court that found him guilty of spreading misinformation about Brazil's electoral system. Lula, for his part, said Friday he intends to seek another term. "You can be sure that I will be a candidate again... I will not hand this country over to that bunch of lunatics who almost destroyed it," the 79-year-old said at a public event in the state of Ceara. Moraes has repeatedly clashed with Bolsonaro and other rightwing figures he has accused of spreading fake news. Last year, the judge suspended tech titan Elon Musk's X network in Brazil for 40 days for failing to tackle the spread of disinformation shared mainly by Bolsonaro backers jss/mlr/aks
