U.S. Lifts Magnitsky Sanctions on Brazil’s Justice Alexandre de Moraes

Overview

• The U.S. Treasury’s OFAC removed Alexandre de Moraes, his wife Viviane Barci de Moraes, and the family-linked Instituto Lex from the Magnitsky list, with the notice offering no rationale.
• Brazilian aides say Lula asked President Donald Trump on December 2 to revoke the measures, while U.S. officials cited the Chamber’s advance of the Dosimetria bill as an important signal.
• Moraes hailed the decision as a victory for Brazil’s judiciary, sovereignty, and democracy and publicly thanked Lula for the diplomatic push.
• Eduardo Bolsonaro lamented a lack of unity on the right after the reversal, as quarrels between bolsonarista figures such as Nikolas Ferreira and Allan dos Santos highlighted internal rifts.
• Political strain persisted at home as a PF search over emendas prompted an emergency leaders’ meeting in the Chamber, while in storm-hit São Paulo a subprefect detained an Enel subcontractor for alleged extortion and local authorities pressed for federal action on the utility.