RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) 鈥� Brazilian President warned U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday not to meddle in Brazil’s October presidential election after Trump made his latest criticism of Brazil over judicial moves against Lula’s political rivals.
The remarks show the escalating tensions between and the U.S. after the Trump administration against the South American country and two drug-trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations 鈥� moves that Lula opposes.
Lula has since Trump imposed tariffs on the country last year citing a 鈥� 鈥� against his ally, former President . Lula also has complained about U.S. sanctions imposed on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over what the Trump administration called his politically motivated role in prosecuting Bolsonaro, who was convicted of attempting a coup to try to stay in power after losing the 2022 election to Lula.
Trump said Wednesday that Brazil had become 鈥渄angerous politically鈥� and that the government wanted to arrest 鈥淏olsonaro junior,鈥� who was 鈥渄oing well in the polls.鈥�
Brazil’s one of Bolsonaro’s sons, former lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, of coercion related to his father鈥檚 coup trial and sentenced him to four years and two months in prison.
However the reference to doing well in the polls suggested Trump may have been talking about 鈥� or was also talking about 鈥� Bolsonaro’s eldest son, Sen. Fl谩vio Bolsonaro, against Lula in the presidential election. Fl谩vio Bolsonaro has not faced arrest.
Eduardo Bolsonaro was convicted after the court found that he illegally interfered in his father’s coup trial by lobbying the U.S. government to threaten Brazilian officials to stop the trial.
A journalist read out Trump鈥檚 remarks to Lula during a news conference following the of world leaders in France’s Evian-les-Bains, which Lula attended. The Brazilian leader said they demonstrated that Trump 鈥渄oesn’t know Brazil well.鈥�
鈥淚f he knows Brazil through his relations with the Bolsonaro family, he doesn’t know Brazil,” Lula said. 鈥淗e can go on liking Bolsonaro 鈥� the father, the son, the grandson 鈥� that鈥檚 not my problem, it鈥檚 his. (…) But don鈥檛 interfere in Brazil鈥檚 elections, because Brazil鈥檚 elections are Brazil鈥檚 business.鈥�
Eduardo and Fl谩vio Bolsonaro recently visited U.S. officials in Washington, including Trump. Shortly afterwards, the Trump administration classified Brazil’s biggest drug-trafficking groups 鈥� First Command Capital and Red Command 鈥� as foreign terrorist organizations. Lula criticized that decision Wednesday, arguing that while the groups terrorize local populations they are not terrorist organizations because they seek profit rather than political change.
The U.S. government also had proposed a new 25% tariff on imports from Brazil, claiming the world鈥檚 10th-biggest economy engages in unreasonable trade practices. That move came despite a to try to persuade Trump not to apply further tariffs.
Lula has expressed his grievance over that tariff, and did so again on Wednesday. 鈥淚 think what he did was disrespectful toward Brazil. He knows that. That鈥檚 why I said he still behaves like an emperor. We were negotiating an agreement.鈥�
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