\n<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump has urged Brazilian authorities to end their prosecution of the country’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, accusing them of carrying out a “WITCH HUNT”.<\/p>\n
His comments drew a swift rebuke from current President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva, who said Brazil would not accept “interference” from anyone and added: “No one is above the law.”<\/p>\n
Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022, is standing trial for allegedly attempting a coup against Lula following his election victory in 2021. <\/p>\n
The former leader has denied involvement in any alleged plot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In a social media post, Trump said Bolsonaro was “not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE” and told prosecutors to “LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!”<\/p>\n
He praised Bolsonaro as a “strong leader” who “truly loved his country”. <\/p>\n
The US president compared Bolsonaro’s prosecution to the legal cases he himself faced between his two presidential terms.<\/p>\n
“This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent – Something I know much about! It happened to me, times 10,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
Bolsonaro thanked Trump for his comments, describing the case against him as “clear political persecution” in a social media post.<\/p>\n
But President Lula hit back at the US leader, saying “the defence of democracy in Brazil is a matter for Brazilians. We are a sovereign nation. <\/p>\n
“We won’t accept interference or instruction from anyone. We have solid and independent institutions. No one is above the law. Especially those who attack freedom and the rule of law.”<\/p>\n
Brazilian Minister of Institutional Affairs Gleisi Hoffmann also criticised Trump: “The time when Brazil was subservient to the US was the time of Bolsonaro.”<\/p>\n
“The US president should take care of his own problems, which are not few, an respect the sovereignty of Brazil and our judiciary,” she added.<\/p>\n
The back and fourth comes as Lula hosted representatives from China, Russia and other nations at a Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n
Trump had earlier threatened to levy additional tariffs against countries aligned with what he called the bloc’s “anti-American” policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Trump and Bolsonaro enjoyed a friendly relationship when their presidencies overlapped, with the pair meeting at the White House in 2019. <\/p>\n Both men subsequently lost presidential elections and both refused to publicly acknowledge defeat.<\/p>\n