Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has vehemently condemned the sweeping tariffs imposed by the United States on his country as “misguided” and “illogical.” In an opinion piece published in The New York Times, Lula also dismissed Washington’s criticism over the conviction of Brazil’s former leader, Jair Bolsonaro, on coup charges.
Bolsonaro recently made his first public appearance since last week’s conviction, when he visited a hospital. In his essay, Lula expressed his desire to establish “an open and frank dialogue” with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, over his administration’s decision to enforce a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian products. He highlighted that the US has a trade surplus with Brazil, amounting to $410 billion over the past 15 years, indicating that the White House’s motives are political.
Lula argued that the tariffs aim to seek “impunity” for Bolsonaro, whom Lula accused of orchestrating the riots in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. He described Bolsonaro’s actions as “an effort to subvert the popular will at the ballot box” and expressed his pride in the Brazilian Supreme Court’s decision to sentence Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison. Lula denied that this was a “witch-hunt,” affirming it safeguards Brazil’s institutions and the democratic rule of law.
Lula’s op-ed comes amidst threats from the US regarding further action against Brazil due to Bolsonaro’s conviction. The US has placed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and revoked visas for most justices. Trump, who has labeled the judicial proceedings as a “witch-hunt” and linked the import tax to Bolsonaro’s trial, expressed his surprise regarding the ruling. He likened the trial against Bolsonaro to legal actions against him.
Lula wrote that the US’s choice to strain a partnership of over 200 years will lead to mutual loss and encouraged collaboration in areas where both countries share common goals. He stated, “President Trump, we remain open to negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits. But Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table.”
The tariffs imposed by Trump would likely harm Brazil’s economy, potentially resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs. However, Brazil’s strong trade connections with other countries such as China may mitigate the impact. Meanwhile, US consumers could face increased costs for Brazilian products, including coffee.
In Brasilia, under house arrest, Bolsonaro was seen leaving his home for a medical procedure to remove multiple skin lesions. While there, he received support from his allies in Congress, who are pushing to grant him amnesty.
The Supreme Court’s ruling doesn’t send Bolsonaro to prison immediately. The court panel will publish the ruling within 60 days, allowing Bolsonaro’s lawyers to file motions for clarification within five days after that. His lawyers plan to appeal both the conviction and sentence, although some experts believe an appeal may not be successful.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/15/lula-defends-bolsonaro-verdict-tells-trump-brazils-democracy-not-on-table?traffic_source=rss
