Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has defended the trial which saw his predecessor in office, Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
In an opinion piece published in the New York Times, Lula dismissed the description by US President Donald Trump of the trial as a 'witch hunt', stating that it was a 'historic decision which safeguards our institutions and the democratic rule of law'.
The Brazilian leader explained that he wrote the essay to establish an open and frank dialogue with Trump, who has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, calling the tariff hike 'not only misguided but illogical'.
Relations have soured between the US and Brazil in recent months, particularly contrasting with the camaraderie between Trump and Bolsonaro. Lula, known for his direct tone, asserted that the US has accumulated a trade surplus of $410bn with Brazil over 15 years, suggesting political motivations behind the tariffs.
He argued that the US government is using tariffs to seek impunity for Bolsonaro, referencing sanctions imposed on the Supreme Court justice who led the trial. Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and 3 months in prison, a decision his legal team plans to appeal.
In reaction to the guilty verdict, Trump expressed surprise, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the US would 'respond accordingly' to what they perceive as a witch hunt.
Lula clarified that the judgement adhered to Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, which emerged from the end of military rule. He also rejected Trump’s claims of censorship of US tech firms, affirming Brazil's right to regulate the internet without treating US companies unfairly.
In closing, Lula extended an olive branch to Trump, indicating Brazil's willingness to negotiate on mutually beneficial terms but firmly asserting that Brazil's democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable.
