Brazil's DPU Seeks Acquittal for Eduardo Bolsonaro at Supreme Court

The Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) filed a petition on 16 June asking the First Chamber of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) to absolve former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro. He is charged with coercion for allegedly urging the United States to impose punitive tariffs on Brazilian exports, revoking visas, and applying Magnitsky‑style sanctions to benefit his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The DPU’s defense argues that Eduardo Bolsonaro had no decision‑making power over U.S. foreign policy and acted only as a political interlocutor, and that procedural errors—such as improper notification—invalidated the case. A favourable ruling could restore his political rights, influence the broader Bolsonaro family's political prospects, and set a precedent for similar cases involving political figures and foreign policy influence.