U.S. Imposes Magnitsky Sanctions on the Wife of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Institute Linked to His Family

The United States government, under President Donald J. Trump, announced on Monday new sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Viviane Barci de Moraes, wife of Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes, as well as the Lex Institute, an entity connected to the minister’s family.

The decision was published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Alexandre de Moraes himself has been subject to Magnitsky sanctions since July 30.

The Magnitsky Act is a U.S. legal mechanism designed to punish foreign individuals accused of corruption or human rights violations. Measures typically include:

• Freezing of assets and bank accounts under U.S. jurisdiction;

• Blocking interests in companies or properties within the U.S.;

• Travel bans and prohibition of entry into the country.

The latest sanctions come 11 days after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup d’état—a case presided over by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The Magnitsky Act are primarily economic in nature, including the freezing of assets and bank accounts in the United States or in financial institutions connected to the country. At the time the July sanctions were imposed, Moraes did not hold accounts, investments, or assets in the U.S.