The US Department of the Treasury has announced the lifting of sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Justice de Moraes had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions since July, which are aimed at individuals accused of human rights violations. His wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, was added to the sanctions list in September and has also been removed.
The sanctions were imposed following the conviction of Bolsonaro, who faced legal challenges related to his presidency. The decision to lift the sanctions comes amid ongoing discussions about the political climate in Brazil and the implications of judicial actions on governance.
The Global Magnitsky Act allows the US government to sanction foreign individuals for human rights abuses and corruption. The removal of the sanctions against Justice de Moraes and his wife marks a significant shift in the US’s stance towards Brazilian judicial figures involved in high-profile political cases. The Treasury’s decision has not been accompanied by detailed explanations regarding the reasons for the sanctions’ removal.
