Tensions between Washington and Brasília escalated on Monday after US President Donald Trump condemned Brazil’s high-stakes trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a close right-wing ally.
Trump’s criticism of the proceedings has pushed US-Brazil relations into a fresh diplomatic crisis, further straining ties between the two countries.
Former US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Brazilian authorities, accusing them of conducting a “witch hunt” against Jair Bolsonaro and urging them to “leave Bolsonaro alone.”
Trump’s remarks prompted an immediate and stern response from Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who dismissed the comments as unwelcome interference and stressed that in Brazil, “no one is above the law.”
Bolsonaro, aged 70, is currently on trial for allegedly orchestrating a criminal conspiracy aimed at staging a coup to remain in power after his defeat in the 2022 presidential election. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years behind bars. Prosecutors argue that the plan ultimately collapsed due to a lack of backing from senior military leaders.
The charges against Bolsonaro mirror Trump’s own legal troubles over the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, where his supporters stormed Congress in a failed attempt to overturn his election loss. Trump pleaded not guilty in that case, which was later dropped after his return to the presidency granted him immunity from prosecution.
Bolsonaro has similarly protested his innocence, while trying to rally supporters with a series of protests that have further polarized Brazilian politics.
The cases have drawn the Trump and Bolsonaro families together, with the Brazilian ex-leader’s sons lobbying hard to have a Supreme Court judge hit with US sanctions and for Trump to weigh in.
That effort now appears to have succeeded, with unclear repercussions for relations between the largest economies in North and South America.
Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo praised Trump’s post and said it “would not be the only news coming from the United States in the near future.”
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Trump addressed the case at length in a social media post and suggested Bolsonaro was the favorite in next year’s election — despite being banned from running because he spread misinformation about the voting system.
“I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year!” Trump said in the Truth Social post.
“It happened to me, times 10,” Trump said. “I have gotten to know Jair Bolsonaro, and he was a strong Leader, who truly loved his Country — Also, a very tough negotiator on TRADE,” Trump said.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has found an unexpected champion in Donald Trump, who recently took to social media to condemn what he described as a political witch hunt against the right-wing leader. Bolsonaro, in turn, expressed deep gratitude, praising Trump for his commitment to “peace, justice, and liberty.”
Trump’s defence of Bolsonaro came at a delicate diplomatic moment, as Brazil hosted the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, welcoming leaders from China, Russia, Iran, and several other nations. During the high-profile gathering, member states issued a sharp critique of US trade policies and recent joint military operations targeting Iran.
In a swift response, Trump fired back with threats to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on countries aligning with BRICS, escalating tensions further.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used the occasion to reaffirm the bloc’s independence, declaring that BRICS nations would not submit to domination by any “emperor,” in a clear rebuke to Washington’s posturing.