Tensions sharply escalated on August 9 after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau publicly accused Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes of usurping power in a dictatorial manner.
This striking charge signals the possibility of a direct confrontation between the United States and Brazil, as Washington breaks precedent by singling out a major foreign judge for overreaching authority.
The U.S. official stated that Justice Moraes has overstepped legal boundaries by threatening leaders of other branches of government, or even their families, with imprisonment and other penalties, undermining the principle of separation of powers that normally safeguards liberty in a democracy.
Landau’s main criticism is that Moraes has become, in effect, the most powerful political actor in Brazil by accumulating authority that he argues should be balanced among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The situation is described as unprecedented, partly because it is happening in a country seen as a major democracy in Latin America and an important historical partner of the United States.
Landau says this concentration of power destroys the possibility of genuine dialogue between the U.S. and Brazil because, unlike presidents or parliamentary leaders, a judge is not expected to negotiate but to judge according to the law.
America’s leadership sees this as a “dead end,” where “the usurper shields himself behind the rule of law while the other branches insist they are powerless to act”.
U.S. Calls Moraes a Dictatorial Usurper, Signaling a Brewing Storm Between Brazil and America
This criticism from Landau comes during a broader diplomatic crisis: President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on all Brazilian goods as a response to Brazil’s prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro (who stands accused of attempting a coup), a case led by Moraes.
Trump demanded the case be suspended as a precondition for lifting tariffs. Brazil’s government, however, rejected this demand, calling it an attack on national sovereignty, and leading officials from all major government branches publicly supported their judiciary’s independence.
Brazil Moves to Sideline Another Opposition Voice as Political Tensions Boil
The U.S. government’s actions escalated beyond just rhetoric. The Trump administration applied sanctions against Moraes under the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law used to punish individuals involved in human rights abuses or corruption.
This blocks Moraes (and reportedly others associated with him, though not all cases are confirmed) from accessing assets or conducting financial transactions in the U.S., and cancels their visas.
There are strong indications that further sanctions are planned, targeting even family members of Moraes and other officials perceived as involved.
