(Reuters) - Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), stated in the decision that imposed precautionary measures against former President Jair Bolsonaro that the announcement by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, of tariffs against Brazil sought to interfere in the process in which the former president is a defendant in the court, and pointed out that Bolsonaro and licensed federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), his son, committed crimes.

"The implementation of the tariff increase is intended to create a serious economic crisis in Brazil, to generate political and social pressure on the Judiciary and impact diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United States of America, as well as to interfere with the progress of AP 2.668/DF – which is in the final arguments phase," Moraes wrote in the decision, referring to the case in which Bolsonaro is a defendant accused of leading an alleged coup attempt.

Moraes imposed an electronic ankle bracelet on Bolsonaro, a ban on using social media, a stay-at-home order between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and full-time on weekends and holidays, and a ban on contact with ambassadors and foreign authorities, as well as on approaching embassies and consulates.

"Failure to comply with any of the precautionary measures will result in the revocation and ordering of the arrest," Moraes warned in his decision.

The former president is also prohibited from contacting Eduardo, who has taken leave from his parliamentary seat and is in the US campaigning for sanctions against Brazilian officials. Eduardo celebrated Trump's announcement of tariffs on Brazil and thanked the US president for the measure.

When announcing the tariffs, which will take effect on August 1, the US leader linked the decision, among other issues, to the treatment Bolsonaro has been receiving from the Brazilian judiciary.

Bolsonaro denies participating in a coup plot after losing the 2022 presidential election. In a press conference on Friday, after putting on an electronic ankle bracelet, he said Moraes' decision sought his"supreme humiliation."

In a statement, the former president's lawyers said they received with"surprise and indignation" the imposition of "severe" precautionary measures against him.

ESCAPE RISK

In his ruling, Moraes also stated that Bolsonaro and Eduardo's conduct"constitutes clear and express acts of execution and flagrant confessions of criminal acts." The judge specifically cited the crimes of coercion during the proceedings, obstruction of the investigation of a criminal offense involving a criminal organization, and attacks on sovereignty.

The minister also stated that"there is, therefore, no doubt about the materiality and authorship of the crimes committed" by Bolsonaro in the context of the action in which he is a defendant.

Moraes also wrote in his decision that the Attorney General's Office (PGR) pointed out that Bolsonaro was at risk of fleeing, therefore demanding the imposition of precautionary measures, and that the Federal Police alleged the need for search and seizure warrants against the former president to deepen the investigations.

The president of the First Chamber of the STF, Minister Cristiano Zanin, called a virtual session of the collegiate from noon this Friday until 11:59 pm on Monday so that the collegiate of five judges can decide on the precautionary measures imposed on Bolsonaro by Moraes.