Lula Responds to Trump on Bolsonaro Trial and US Tariffs

Lula Defends Bolsonaro’s Conviction

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has strongly defended the conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup against Brazil’s democracy.

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Lula rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims that the trial was a “witch hunt.” Instead, he called it a “historic ruling that safeguards Brazil’s institutions and democratic rule of law.”

Trade Tensions Between the US and Brazil

The dispute comes as relations between Brazil and the United States grow increasingly strained. President Trump recently announced 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, a move Lula criticized as “not only misguided but illogical.”

Lula pointed out that in the last 15 years, the US has enjoyed a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil. He argued that the tariff hike was driven by politics, not economics.

Lula Accuses US of Political Pressure

According to Lula, Washington is using tariffs and even the Magnitsky Act sanctions—which targeted the Brazilian Supreme Court justice overseeing Bolsonaro’s trial—to interfere in Brazil’s justice system.

“The US government is seeking impunity for Bolsonaro,” Lula wrote, insisting that the court’s decision was fully legal and based on Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, which restored democracy after two decades of military dictatorship.

Trump and Bolsonaro’s Close Ties

Relations between the two countries were warmer when Bolsonaro was in power. Bolsonaro openly admired Trump and even visited him at Mar-a-Lago in 2020.

Trump has since called Bolsonaro’s conviction “surprising,” while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington would “respond to this witch hunt.”

Brazil Pushes Back on US Tech Claims

Lula also rejected accusations that Brazil’s justice system targeted US tech companies. He defended Brazil’s online regulations, saying they were essential for protecting democracy and ensuring fair digital practices.

Lula’s Final Message to Trump

In closing his editorial, Lula addressed Trump directly:
“Brazil is open to negotiating anything that brings mutual benefits. But Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not negotiable.”