The Palácio do Planalto was already awaiting the lifting of Trump’s sanctions since the telephone conversation between the Brazilian president and the American president that took place on December 2. Sources heard by CNN Brazil they feared the economic impact that the continuation of sanctions could generate.
The issue began when Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) son, Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), articulated in the United States the application of the Magnitsky Law against Moraes and his wife, lawyer Viviane Barsi.
Since the first call between Lula and Trump, the Brazilian president had already mentioned the importance of lifting political sanctions against Brazilian authorities.
After this first contact, the relationship between the two leaders matured. During a personal meeting in Malaysia at the end of October, Lula reiterated his request for the end of sanctions.
Later, with the issue apparently at a standstill, Brazilian diplomacy decided to request a new call, which took place on December 2, when Lula was in Recife.
Economic argument was decisive
In the December conversation, Lula used as his main argument the possible harmful impact that sanctions could have on the Brazilian financial system. According to an investigation by the CNN Brazilthis was the point that touched Trump. The concern went beyond the specific case of Moraes, as research and documentation already existed to apply the
Magnitsky Law to other ministers of the Supreme Court and authorities of the Executive and Legislative Branches.
The Brazilian government feared that compliance with the law by financial institutions operating in Brazil and abroad could destabilize the national financial system. Faced with this argument, Trump reportedly responded: “I’ll take care of it and I think it will work out.” Since then, the Brazilian government has maintained dialogue through other diplomatic channels to reinforce the importance of the issue.
The Magnitsky Act allows the US government to impose economic sanctions and travel restrictions on people accused of human rights violations and corruption anywhere in the world.
The application of these measures against a minister of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court was seen by the Lula government as a threat to the country’s institutional and financial stability.
