The Donald Trump administration has granted a green card to former Brazilian congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro.
The document allows a foreign national to live, work and study in the United States indefinitely without requiring special authorization, giving Eduardo rights similar to those of a U.S. citizen—except for the right to vote.The decision comes amid growing tensions between Brazil and the United States. Last week, Trump imposed a new 25% tariff on Brazilian products. In 2025, the president had already linked tariffs to what he described as the Brazilian state's persecution of Jair Bolsonaro.
Last month, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) sentenced Eduardo Bolsonaro to four years and two months in prison for coercion during judicial proceedings. According to the court, it was proven that he acted in the United States in an attempt to interfere with the trial in which his father was convicted over an attempted coup. In the indictment, Eduardo himself stated that he had lobbied the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials.
"Eduardo is now protected by the U.S. Constitution," said journalist Paulo Figueiredo, a friend of the former lawmaker. "Any act of persecution or censorship against him, for example, could fall within the same context as the actions that have already led the United States to impose sanctions on Brazil," he added.
