Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under 24-hour house arrest on Monday after concluding that the politician repeatedly violated court-ordered restrictions imposed while he stands trial for allegedly plotting a coup in 2022. The ruling, published at 18:15 in Brasília, cites Bolsonaro’s appearance by telephone at a pro-Bolsonaro rally and the subsequent posting of the speech on social media, actions the judge said flouted an explicit ban on the use of online platforms or third-party accounts. Under the order Bolsonaro must wear an electronic ankle monitor, surrender all electronic devices and refrain from giving interviews, attending rallies or communicating with other defendants, including his son and congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro. Only his legal team, and—after a follow-up ruling on 6 August—close family members may visit without prior notification. The decision escalates an already fraught legal battle. Bolsonaro faces a forthcoming Supreme Court verdict on accusations that he encouraged supporters to overturn his 2022 election loss. Moraes said the former leader treated earlier cautionary measures with ‘reiterated non-compliance’, leaving the court no choice but to tighten restrictions. Reactions have been sharply divided. Supporters mounted demonstrations outside Bolsonaro’s Brasília residence and opposition lawmakers launched an obstruction campaign in Congress while gathering signatures—38 at last count—for an impeachment motion against Moraes. Sources told Reuters several justices were surprised by Moraes’s unilateral action but ultimately endorsed it. The move also strains ties with Washington. The U.S. State Department called the arrest a threat to democratic freedoms, echoing President Donald Trump’s claims of a ‘witch hunt’. Trump has already imposed targeted sanctions on Moraes and plans to activate a 50 % tariff on Brazilian imports later this week, adding economic pressure to an increasingly polarised standoff.