Brasília: Brazil’s Supreme Court has barred presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro from visiting his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, for 90 days after determining that the pair violated the conditions of the former leader’s house arrest.
The ruling was issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes after Flavio Bolsonaro read a handwritten letter from his father during a livestream on social media. Under the terms of his house arrest, Jair Bolsonaro is prohibited from using social media directly or communicating with the public through third parties.
The restriction will remain in effect until after the first round of Brazil’s presidential election on October 4, effectively preventing father and son from meeting throughout most of the election campaign. The Supreme Court also ordered Jair Bolsonaro’s legal team to explain within 48 hours whether the former president was aware that his handwritten message would be broadcast online.
In the letter, Jair Bolsonaro urged conservative leaders to unite behind Flavio Bolsonaro’s presidential bid, calling on political allies to put aside internal divisions and support his son’s campaign. Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator and one of the leading conservative candidates challenging President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, strongly criticized the decision. He described the ruling as ‘disproportionate’ and accused Justice Alexandre de Moraes of attempting to influence the outcome of the presidential election.
Lawyers representing Flavio Bolsonaro also condemned the court order, calling it ‘illegal and unconstitutional.’ They argued that the ruling infringes upon his rights both as Jair Bolsonaro’s son and as one of his legal representatives.
Jair Bolsonaro was convicted in September 2025 for plotting to overturn the results of Brazil’s 2022 presidential election, which he lost to President Lula. He was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to undermine the democratic process.
The conviction followed investigations into efforts to overturn the election results and came after Bolsonaro supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace in January 2023 in an attempted insurrection. Bolsonaro has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting he did not receive a fair trial and has never formally accepted defeat in the 2022 election.
Despite the lengthy prison sentence, the former president was permitted to serve his punishment under house arrest due to ongoing health concerns. The conditions of that arrangement include strict limits on public communication, including the use of social media platforms.
Although barred from holding office, Jair Bolsonaro remains one of Brazil’s most influential conservative figures and has publicly endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro as his political successor. However, Flavio’s presidential campaign has recently faced growing challenges, including scrutiny over alleged connections to a banker involved in a major financial scandal and a public disagreement with former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify political tensions ahead of Brazil’s closely watched presidential election, with supporters of Bolsonaro accusing the judiciary of political interference while government allies argue that the ruling simply enforces existing legal restrictions.
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