Senate Democrats Oppose US Sanctioning of Brazilian Judge

Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., accused the Trump administration late July 30 of misusing its authority by sanctioning Alexandre de Moraes, a Brazilian Supreme Federal Court judge, for his role in the trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of President Donald Trump.

The senators said in a statement that the sanctions program is supposed to be used to address human rights abuses, not to help political allies. Bolsonaro is accused of trying to stay in power after losing Brazil's 2022 presidential election.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control, which imposed the sanctions, said the judge has ordered "arbitrary pre-trial detentions" and suppressed freedom of expression (see 2507300031).