Brazil’s President Lula fires back at Trump over Bolsonaro trial, tariffs

In a strong message to the U.S. and its president, Donald Trump, Brazil’s leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has publicly defended the recent conviction of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

Writing in an opinion piece for The New York Times, Lula dismissed Trump’s claims of a “witch hunt” and said the trial was a crucial step in protecting Brazil’s democracy.

Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison last week for his role in plotting a coup. Four of the five Supreme Court justices on the case found him guilty, and while his lawyers are appealing, the conviction has already created a diplomatic crisis.

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Lula’s article takes direct aim at Trump’s response to the trial. The U.S. president had called the verdict “very surprising” and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, threatened that the U.S. would “respond accordingly.”

Lula fired back, asserting that the trial was a legitimate process following Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, which was put in place after two decades of military rule.

The Brazilian president also used the essay to address Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. He called the tariffs “misguided” and “illogical,” arguing that the U.S. has a significant trade surplus with Brazil.

This, he says, proves the tariffs are a political move an attempt to interfere in Brazil’s internal affairs and protect Bolsonaro.

Lula also called out the U.S. for its use of the Magnitsky Act to sanction the Supreme Court justice who led the trial against Bolsonaro, a move he says is meant to create impunity for the former president.

In his final words, Lula made it clear that while Brazil is open to negotiating “anything that can bring mutual benefits,” its “democracy and sovereignty are not on the table