An agreement has been reached between America and Iran and with this agreement the tension in the Gulf region has ended for the time being. But now America’s neighboring country Brazil has also warned President Donald Trump in a strict tone. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned Trump not to interfere in any way in Brazil’s presidential elections to be held in October.
This statement of Lula comes after Trump’s reaction when he criticized Brazil for judicial action against political opponents of the Brazilian President. The new spat between the presidents of the two countries shows the increasing tense situation between America and Brazil. The Trump administration had proposed imposing more tariffs on this South American country and recently declared two drug trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations, while Lula vehemently opposed it.
Guilty of attempting a coup
Last year, President Trump imposed tariffs on Brazil in protest over the “witch-hunt trial” against his ally and former President Jair Bolsonaro. Since then, Lula has defended Brazil’s sovereignty several times.
Lula has also complained about the sanctions imposed by the US on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The Trump administration alleged that Moraes had played a politically motivated role in prosecuting the case against Bolsonaro. He was convicted of attempting a coup to remain in power after losing to Lula in the 2022 elections.
Brazil ‘politically dangerous’: Trump
Trump said on Wednesday that Brazil had become “politically dangerous” and that the government wanted to arrest “Bolsonaro Jr.”, who was “doing well in the elections”. Earlier, two days ago, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Brazil convicted Bolsonaro’s son and former MP Eduardo Bolsonaro in the case of creating pressure related to his father’s coup case and sentenced him to 4 years and 2 months in jail.
However, the fact that he performed well in the election indicates that President Trump may have been referring to Bolsonaro’s eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is challenging Lula in the presidential election. Flavio has not yet faced arrest.
Trump doesn’t know Brazil well: Lula
Eduardo Bolsonaro was convicted after the Supreme Court found that he had illegally interfered in his father’s coup case. He had lobbied the US government and threatened the Brazilian authorities to stop the case.
A journalist read out Trump’s words to Lula at a press conference after the G7 summit of leaders of the world’s major countries in Evian-les-Bains, France. Lula said it showed Trump “doesn’t know Brazil well.”
Brazil’s election is Brazil’s own affair: Lula
President Lula said, “If he knows Brazil through his relations with the Bolsonaro family, he does not know Brazil.” They can continue to like Bolsonaro (father, son, grandson). This is not my problem, it is theirs. But do not interfere in Brazilian elections, because Brazilian elections are Brazil’s own matter.”
Eduardo and Flavio Bolsonaro recently met with US officials, including Trump, in Washington. Shortly thereafter, the Trump administration classified Brazil’s largest drug trafficking groups (First Command Capital and Red Command) as foreign terrorist organizations. The US government then proposed imposing a new tariff of 25% on imports from Brazil, claiming that the world’s 10th largest economy adopts unfair trade practices.
Leave a Reply