The United States has removed Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from its sanctions list, along with his wife and the Lex Institute she heads, marking a significant shift in Washington&rsquo;s stance toward Brazil. The decision was confirmed on Friday, December 12, 2025, through official treasury documents.
Justice de Moraes had been sanctioned in July by the Trump administration over allegations that he abused his judicial authority by authorising arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression in Brazil. The emphasised move followed his role in overseeing legal proceedings against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil&rsquo;s government welcomed the reversal, which came shortly after a phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz In&aacute;cio Lula da Silva. Officials in Bras&iacute;lia described the decision as a positive outcome of diplomatic engagement between the two leaders.
A senior U.S. administration official said the sanctions were lifted after Brazil&rsquo;s lower house passed an amnesty bill, which was viewed in Washington as a sign of improving legal and political conditions. The official spoke anonymously while discussing foreign policy considerations.
The move signals a thaw in relations between the two countries, which had grown strained in recent years. Trump had previously maintained close ties with Bolsonaro, often describing him as an ideological ally. Bolsonaro was later accused of orchestrating efforts to remain in power following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election to Lula &mdash; allegations that mirrored events surrounding Trump after the 2020 U.S. election.
Bolsonaro has since been convicted and sentenced to more than 27 years in prison. The former president, now 70, began serving his sentence last month but has sought house arrest citing health concerns. Despite expectations of unrest following his incarceration, large-scale disruptions did not occur, though Bolsonaro remains influential ahead of upcoming elections.
Brazil&rsquo;s current administration characterised the lifting of sanctions as a setback for the Bolsonaro family. Minister for Institutional Relations Gleisi Hoffmann said the repeal was the result of Lula&rsquo;s direct engagement with Trump and described it as a defeat for those she accused of undermining Brazil&rsquo;s judiciary abroad.
The government has long accused Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president&rsquo;s son and a lawmaker, of lobbying U.S. officials with misleading information about Justice de Moraes and the Brazilian Supreme Court. Eduardo Bolsonaro, who moved to the U.S. earlier this year to campaign against his father&rsquo;s imprisonment, expressed regret over the sanctions being lifted but vowed to continue his efforts.
Justice de Moraes had earlier criticised the use of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against him, calling it illegal and unjustified.
Relations between the two countries had further deteriorated in July when the U.S. imposed a cumulative 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods, citing Brazil&rsquo;s policies and Bolsonaro&rsquo;s prosecution as an economic emergency. Most of those tariffs have since been rolled back.
Political observers say the latest developments reflect Washington&rsquo;s desire to normalise relations with Brazil despite ideological differences. Diplomatic ties began improving during meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in September, followed by a private meeting in Malaysia in October and subsequent phone calls between the two leaders.
President Lula has stated that his administration has been working to reverse both the trade measures and sanctions imposed on Brazilian officials, calling the latest decision a step toward restoring balanced bilateral relations.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves a hospital

Sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, wife revoked amid easing US-Brazil ties

US Lifts Sanction on Brazilian Supreme Court Judge

Sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, wife revoked amid easing US-Brazil ties

December 13, 2025 | 17:51 IST