A leftist justice on Brazil's Supreme Court has been leading a politically motivated prosecution of the South American nation's popular right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro, ostensibly for an alleged plot to overthrow the government following his questionable 2022 election loss to the country's current socialist president.

On Monday, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes stepped up his persecution of Bolsonaro with an order that placed him under house arrest pending trial, according to the New York Post.

President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, and his administration have already issued stern rebukes and taken retributive actions against Moraes and Brazil following previous escalations of the partisan prosecution of the ex-president, and this latest move could prompt an additional response from the U.S. government.

Bolsonaro now under house arrest

Former President Bolsonaro was ordered to be confined under house arrest on Monday by Justice de Moraes for allegedly violating a prior order issued less than a month ago that imposed severe restrictions on Bolsonaro's freedoms of movement and speech.

The stated reason for the crackdown was an accusation that Bolsonaro violated a prohibition against the use of social media by making a post on one of his son's accounts.

At the time that Bolsonaro's speech and social media use were restricted, he was also ordered to wear an ankle monitor and be subject to a curfew that limited his movement, among other prohibitions that significantly hampered his re-election campaign.

The former president will continue to have his location monitored, but is now also barred from leaving his residence in Rio de Janeiro without the court's permission, and all mobile devices have been seized from the property. Further, Bolsonaro may only be visited at his home by his immediate family members and attorneys.

He stands accused of planning and orchestrating a purported criminal conspiracy to stage a coup following his 2022 election loss, along with alleged assassination attempts against his socialist successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and an unnamed Supreme Court justice.

Trump called out the mistreatment of Bolsonaro

Nearly one month ago, when Justice de Moraes first imposed the harsh restrictions on former President Bolsonaro ahead of trial, President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, "Brazil is doing a terrible thing on their treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro. I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year!"

"This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent -- Something I know much about!" he continued, and said, "The Great People of Brazil will not stand for what they are doing to their former President."

"I’ll be watching the WITCH HUNT of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters, very closely," Trump added. "The only Trial that should be happening is a Trial by the Voters of Brazil -- It’s called an Election. LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!"

Tariffs, visa restrictions, and sanctions

When President Trump's plea for an end to Brazil's partisan persecution of former President Bolsonaro fell on deaf ears, however, his administration took action, including the imposition of an additional 40% tariff on Brazilian goods on top of the existing 10% duty, for a total tax of 50% on that nation's exports to the U.S.

Furthermore, the U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions against Justice de Moraes, his allies on the Brazilian Supreme Court, and their immediate families, and also sanctioned de Moraes for "serious human rights abuse, including arbitrary detention involving flagrant denials of fair trial guarantees and violations of the freedom of expression."

Likewise, the U.S. Treasury Department issued sanctions against de Moraes, which included placing a block on any assets and property or property interests he and his family may own in U.S. territory, with the threat of civil or criminal penalties if those sanctions are violated.