Brazil Court Bars Flavio Bolsonaro From Visiting Jair Bolsonaro Ahead of Election

Brazil’s political landscape took another dramatic turn after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes barred Senator Flavio Bolsonaro from visiting his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, for 90 days, citing a violation of the former leader’s house arrest conditions.

The restriction extends beyond Brazil’s first-round presidential election on October 4, with a potential runoff scheduled for October 25. The ruling could complicate Flavio Bolsonaro’s campaign as he seeks to unseat President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in one of the country’s most closely watched elections.

Justice Moraes said the decision followed a social media post in which Flavio Bolsonaro shared a letter written by his father over the weekend. Under the terms of Jair Bolsonaro’s house arrest, the former president is prohibited from using social media, mobile phones or other communication devices, either directly or through third parties.

The letter was released during reports of tensions between Flavio Bolsonaro and his stepmother, former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro. In the message, Jair Bolsonaro urged his supporters to put aside internal disagreements and unite behind his son’s presidential campaign, calling for everyone to support Flavio’s bid for the presidency.

Flavio Bolsonaro criticized the court’s decision during a live broadcast on social media, describing the 90-day visitation ban as "disproportionate" and claiming it represented an attempt to influence Brazil’s election process. He also questioned why the restriction was set for exactly 90 days.

Representatives for Jair Bolsonaro did not immediately comment on the ruling.

The former president was sentenced last year to more than 27 years in prison after being convicted of plotting a coup following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election. He was later transferred to house arrest because of health concerns.

Justice Moraes also ordered Jair Bolsonaro’s legal team to explain within 48 hours whether the former president knew that his letter would be shared publicly on social media, a clarification that could affect future court proceedings related to his house arrest conditions.