Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning the Lex Instituto de Estudos Juridicos LTDA (Lex Institute) for its support to Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) justice Alexandre de Moraes (de Moraes). De Moraes was designated by OFAC on July 30, 2025, for using his position to authorize arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppress freedom of expression in Brazil. Also designated today is Viviane Barci de Moraes (Viviane), de Moraes’ wife, who serves as the head of the Lex Institute.

“Alexandre de Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions, and politicized prosecutions—including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Today’s action makes clear that Treasury will continue to target individuals who provide material support to de Moraes as he abuses human rights.”

Today’s action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse around the world.