Bolsonaro steps back from Supreme Court battle, boosting Brazil markets

FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro walks before a ceremony at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil September 2, 2021. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday said he never intended to attack any branch of the government, as he sought to defuse a dispute with the Supreme Court in a move that boosted markets.

Earlier this week, as pro-Bolsonaro marches took place across Brazil, the president called on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to step down and said he would no longer comply with his rulings, deepening a rift with the judiciary.