STORY: Brazilian authorities placed former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is standing trial on charges of plotting a coup, under house arrest on Monday (August 4), in a move that could escalate tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the arrest order, saying in his decision that the right-wing firebrand did not comply with judicial restraining orders imposed on him last month.

In his ruling, Moraes stated that the former president repeatedly failed to comply with orders prohibiting the use of social media through third parties. The judge cited the fact that Bolsonaro participated in a video call with Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, his son, during a protest with protesters on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

Moraes said the video call was a ruse for Bolsonaro to continue attacking the Supreme Federal Court. Furthermore, Flavio posted the video call on social media, which was later deleted. Moraes argued that the senator deleted the content "with the purpose of concealing the legal violation." Bolsonaro also contacted lawmaker Nikolas Ferreira during Sunday's protests, and the material he produced was also shared by his sons and other allies on social media.

Bolsonaro is facing charges that he conspired with dozens of his allies to overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Moraes also banned Bolsonaro from receiving visits, with exceptions for lawyers and people authorized by the court, and use of a cell phone either directly or through third parties.

A press representative for Bolsonaro confirmed that he was placed under house arrest late afternoon on Monday and that a cell phone had been seized.

In a statement, Brazil's federal police said it had complied with the Supreme Court's orders for house arrest and to seize cell phones, though it did not name the target of the operation.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: BOLSONARO’S SON SPEAKING TO HIM ON PHONE DURING SUNDAY PROTEST IN RIO DE JANEIRO

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE STORY

SHOWS: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (AUGUST 3, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN POLITICIAN AND SON OF FORMER BRAZIL PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO, FLAVIO BOLSONARO, SAYING:

"My beloved Rio de Janeiro, I want to thank everyone who came here today and stayed under the sun until this moment. I know it's tiring, but to repay you, you'll hear a good afternoon from the best president in the history of this Brazil, who is on the line with me now. Good afternoon, Dad. Copacabana is listening."

FORMER BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO ON THE PHONE, SAYING: "Thank you all. It's for our freedom, for our future, for our Brazil. We will always be together."

FLAVIO BOLSONARO SAYING: "Thank you, Dad. He's not here today, but he is within each of us throughout Brazil. We are millions of Brazilians carrying the ideas that will bring prosperity."