Brazil prosecutor seeks conviction for Eduardo Bolsonaro's alleged coercion of judges

Brazil's Prosecutor General's Office has requested the conviction of former congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro for coercion. The office alleges that Bolsonaro intervened with the U.S. government to impose sanctions on Brazilian judges.

Antônio Edílio Magalhães Teixeira, the deputy prosecutor general, presented a list of Bolsonaro's statements detailing his contacts with U.S. authorities. He argued that the evidence "demonstrates that coercion existed." "The situation is relatively simple: coercing authorities is a crime," Teixeira stated at the trial.

Eduardo Bolsonaro relocated to the United States in February 2025 to foster closer ties with the administration of then-President Donald Trump. Trump's administration had previously imposed sanctions on the judges who tried his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, for alleged sedition. The U.S. government also cited the trial against Bolsonaro as justification for imposing tariffs on Brazil, an action Trump characterized as a "witch hunt."

The former president's son, who is also the brother of presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, is not attending the trial. He is being represented by a public defender. A conviction could result in a prison sentence of one to four years, automatically leading to political disqualification.

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The situation is relatively simple: coercing authorities is a crime