Lula government defends Justice Alexandre de Moraes amid controversy over social media restrictions while Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Brazil “firmly rejects any attempt to politicize judicial decisions”
02/27/2025
The U.S. State Department issued a statement on Wednesday (26) criticizing punitive actions against American companies “for refusing to censor people,” a reference to rulings by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In response, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the U.S. government of “distorting” the court orders and condemned the “attempt to politicize judicial decisions.”
The statement from the Trump administration came through the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, a division of the State Department.
“Respect for sovereignty is a two-way street with all U.S. partners, including Brazil. Blocking access to information and imposing fines on U.S. based companies for refusing to censor people living in the United States is incompatible with democratic values, including freedom of expression,” read the statement shared by the U.S. Embassy in Brasília on X.
The message came five days after Justice Moraes ordered the suspension of the social media platform Rumble in Brazil, citing the company’s failure to comply with court orders and its lack of a legal representative in the country.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a statement accusing the State Department of “distorting the meaning of the Supreme Court’s decisions.” It emphasized that the legal actions involving U.S. tech companies were aimed at ensuring compliance with rulings from Brazil’s highest court.
The statement added that the Brazilian government “firmly rejects any attempt to politicize judicial decisions” and underscored the importance of respecting the “republican principle of the separation of powers.”
“Freedom of expression, a fundamental right enshrined in Brazilian law, must be exercised in accordance with the country’s legal framework, particularly its criminal laws,” the ministry said.
The statement also referenced the attempted coup following the 2022 presidential election, which is the subject of ongoing investigations by Brazil’s Prosecutor General’s Office and is at the core of Justice Moraes’s rulings.
“The Brazilian state and its republican institutions were targeted by an anti-democratic conspiracy based on mass disinformation spread through social media. The events related to the attempted coup against popular sovereignty, following the 2022 presidential elections, are currently under judicial review in Brazil,” the statement noted.
Escalating tensions
The episode marks a new chapter in the clash between Mr. Moraes and U.S. tech giants, but this time it has drawn in the governments of both countries. Last year, Justice Moraes ordered the temporary suspension of X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk. With the billionaire now serving in a role within the Trump administration, the risk of escalating tensions with the Lula government has increased.
This risk is heightened by the fact that Justice Moraes’s rulings have predominantly affected supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a Mr. Trump ally, particularly in the context of attacks on Brazilian democracy and institutions.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had been working to build bridges with the new U.S. administration, now finds itself compelled to take a firm stance against the Trump government.
Behind the scenes, Brazilian officials believe the U.S. statement was influenced by Mr. Bolsonaro supporters, including his son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro. Eduardo celebrated the U.S. position on social media, writing, “It’s beautiful to see the leftists whining, complaining about my frequent visits to the U.S. Some even said they would report me to the Prosecutor General’s Office. Just take it… there will be much more crying from wannabe dictators in Congress.”
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry also noted Eduardo’s influence on the approval of a bill by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, which could effectively bar Mr. Moraes from entering the U.S. or even lead to his deportation.
The bill, which passed with support from Republican lawmakers as well as Democrat Jamie Raskin of Maryland, now moves to the House floor, controlled by the Republican Party.
The committee, equivalent to Brazil’s Constitutional and Justice Commission, approved the bill that declares “foreign agents” who violate freedom of expression by censoring U.S. citizens on American soil as “inadmissible” and subject to deportation. The measure has been celebrated by Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies.
Justice Moraes declined to comment on the matter.
*By Fabio Murakawa, Renan Truffi e Isadora Peron, Valor — Brasília
Source: Valor International