On July 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for allegedly using his position to suppress the freedom of expression of Brazilian and American individuals and his arbitrary detention of political opponents, including journalists, newspapers and the former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Specifically, de Moraes is accused of investigating, prosecuting, and suppressing the voices of his critics, and subjecting them to long preventive detentions without bringing charges – actions that have allegedly included U.S. persons whose speech was protected under the U.S. Constitution. De Moraes also reportedly ordered U.S. social media companies to block or remove hundreds of accounts belonging to his personal critics and those critical of the Brazilian government, including the accounts of persons in the United States.
The designation was imposed pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Right Accountability Act that targets those who engage in serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. As a result of this designation, all property and interests in property of the designee within the United States or within the possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the designated person. In addition, entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more designated persons are also blocked.
On the same day, the President issued an executive order “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Brazil” in which he declared a national emergency in Brazil and imposed a 40 percent tariff on Brazil to deal with the national emergency. The national emergency was imposed in response to Brazilian officials’ interference with the economy of the United States; their infringement on the free expression of U.S. persons; their efforts to undermine the United States’ interest in protecting its citizens and companies; and their political persecution of a former President of Brazil.
U.S. Department of Treasury Press Release | White House – Presidential Actions