BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes decided on Thursday not to order the arrest of former President Jair Bolsonaro for what he called an “isolated” breach of court-imposed restrictions but warned he could be imprisoned for future violations, according to a court filing.
Moraes, who oversees the case in which Bolsonaro is charged with plotting a coup, last week ordered him to wear an ankle bracelet and banned him from using social media over allegations he courted the interference of U.S. President Donald Trump, who tied 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports to what he called a “witch hunt” against the former president.
In his Thursday ruling, the justice kept in place the restraining orders he imposed on the former president last week and clarified he is not blocked from giving interviews.
On Monday, Moraes had threatened Bolsonaro with arrest, saying he breached the restrictions on his social media – including through third parties – when he talked to journalists.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers on Tuesday told Moraes that the former president did not violate the ban and asked the court to clarify the exact scope of the restraining order.
(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Writing by Gabriel Araujo)
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