Brazilian President Lula slams foreign meddling in country’s internal affairs

Brazilian President Lula da Silva rejected US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Jair Bolsonaro’s coup trial, asserting that Brazil is sovereign, its democracy is strong, and no one is above the law.

Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has criticised foreign interference in Brazil’s domestic affairs after US President Donald Trump urged Brazilian authorities to end prosecution of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for attempting a coup.

“Defending Brazil’s democracy is an issue that concerns Brazilians. We are a sovereign country; we do not accept interference or guardianship from anyone. We have solid and independent institutions. No one is above the law, especially those who threaten freedom and the rule of law,” Lula said, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Bolsonaro, who served as Brazilian president from 2019 to 2022, is accused of plotting to stay in power through the use of violence after losing his re-election bid to Lula.

The US-Brazil relations seemed to be moving towards a crisis on Monday after President Donald Trump criticised the coup trial of Bolsonaro. According to reports, the US president accused the Brazilian authorities of carrying out a “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro, also a former military officer, served as the 38th president of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. Previously, he also served as a member of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies from 1991 to 2019. Bolsonaro lost to Lula da Silva in the run-off for the 2022 Brazil’s general election.

In January 2023, his supporters stormed federal government buildings, calling for a coup d’état — an illegal attempt to unseat an incumbent leadership. Eventually, the Superior Electoral Court blocked Bolsonaro from seeking office until 2030 for attempting to undermine the validity of the election, and also for abuse of power through government communication channels.

The Superior Electoral Court is the highest judicial body of the Brazilian Electoral Justice system. In 2024, Bolsonaro was formally accused by the Federal Police of multiple crimes in connection with the alleged coup. The former Brazilian president was charged in February 2025 and the country’s Supreme Court ruled he must stand trial.