Brazil court bars visits, political contact for Bolsonaro under house arrest

Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has imposed a 90-day ban on visits between Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest. The ruling also prohibits Jair Bolsonaro from engaging in political contacts and releasing new manifestos until the October elections.

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The benefits of his humanitarian house arrest cannot entail odious privileges contrary to legislation and authorize flagrant disobedience of judicial decisions, including by his lawyers.

The decision came shortly after the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) argued that Flávio Bolsonaro's reading of a letter from his father to the public violated the terms of his house arrest. Justice Moraes stated that the "benefits of his humanitarian house arrest cannot entail odious privileges contrary to legislation and authorize flagrant disobedience of judicial decisions, including by his lawyers."

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The circumstance that the letter was subsequently disseminated on social networks resulted from a decision adopted without the petitioner's prior knowledge.

Flávio Bolsonaro, who is listed as his father's lawyer in the case, had previously had unrestricted access to the former president. The defense had argued that Jair Bolsonaro did not seek third parties to circumvent restrictions and had adhered to the terms of his house arrest since its inception.

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Letter to Brazilians. I miss contact with the people to whom I owe loyalty. I write at a moment of decision for all of us.

However, Moraes's ruling was prompted by the dissemination of a letter titled "Carta aos brasileiros" (Letter to Brazilians), which began with Jair Bolsonaro expressing his longing for contact with the people. Flávio Bolsonaro had introduced the letter as a "very important message he wants to give to the entire nation." This action led Moraes to prohibit Flávio from visiting his father for 90 days, citing a violation of the precautionary measure that prevents the former president from using social media, directly or through third parties.

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A very important message that he wants to give to the entire nation.