Brazil's Top Court Demands Explanation After Bolsonaro Son Films CPAC Crowd

Justice Alexandre de Moraes orders Bolsonaro's legal team to explain if former president watched the video.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:52pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dynamic, abstract painting featuring a mobile phone device repeated in overlapping, fractured geometric shapes in a palette of bold, vibrant colors, conceptually representing the political tensions and communication restrictions surrounding the Bolsonaro family.The Bolsonaro family's legal battles with Brazil's judiciary continue to escalate, as the former president remains under strict communication restrictions.Grapevine Today

The Brazilian Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes has demanded 'explanations' from former President Jair Bolsonaro's legal team after his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, recorded a video at CPAC in the U.S. and said he would show it to his father, who is currently under house arrest.

Why it matters

The Bolsonaro family has been the target of a years-long persecution and censorship campaign led by Justice de Moraes, who has imposed a series of active prohibitions on Jair Bolsonaro that prevent him from using social media or any kind of phone device. This latest incident raises further questions about the Brazilian judiciary's treatment of the former president and his allies.

The details

During his participation at CPAC, Eduardo Bolsonaro pulled up his phone and said he was recording the stage to let his father see the footage. De Moraes has now given Bolsonaro's lawyers a 24-hour deadline to explain whether Jair Bolsonaro watched the video, as he is prohibited from using any communication devices under the terms of his house arrest. Bolsonaro's legal team has stated they were unaware of Eduardo's actions and that there is no evidence of direct or indirect communication between the father and son.

  • On March 25-28, Eduardo Bolsonaro participated in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas.
  • On March 31, Justice de Moraes demanded explanations from Bolsonaro's legal team about the video.
  • Bolsonaro's legal team responded to the request on Monday evening.

The players

Alexandre de Moraes

A Brazilian Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) Justice who has been at the forefront of a years-long persecution and censorship campaign against former President Bolsonaro, his family, and allies.

Jair Bolsonaro

The former President of Brazil who is currently under house arrest and prohibited from using any communication devices.

Eduardo Bolsonaro

The son of former President Jair Bolsonaro who recorded a video at CPAC in the U.S. and said he would show it to his father.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Do you know why I'm doing this video? Because I'm showing it to my father, and I'm going to prove to everyone in Brazil that you cannot shut down a movement by jailing unfairly the leader of this movement, Jair Messias Bolsonaro. Thank you very much.”

— Eduardo Bolsonaro, Former Lawmaker

“Apparently, the persecution isn't enough. The mainstream media is still at it. So my message is, 'I'm not going to stop.' And, Moraes, you have 129 million other things to worry about. Go deal with your own corruption scandals that disgust the entire Supreme Court.”

— Eduardo Bolsonaro, Former Lawmaker

What’s next

Brazil's top court has summoned Eduardo Bolsonaro to testify via video conference in an upcoming April 14 hearing as part of an ongoing probe into allegations that he and a Brazilian journalist purportedly took actions in the United States aimed at 'interfering' with legal proceedings to benefit Jair Bolsonaro.

The takeaway

This latest incident highlights the ongoing political tensions and legal battles between the Bolsonaro family and the Brazilian judiciary, particularly Justice de Moraes, who has been accused of leading a campaign of persecution against the former president and his allies.