Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian President, has criticized Donald Trump for his tariff threats and said that the United States can not dictate terms to his country, local media reports noted.
Trump had reportedly also asked Brazil to stop the trial of Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing ally of the US president.
Calling the US-imposed tariffs devoid of any “logic,” Lula added that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is still stable, the reports added.
Brazil’s president said that he was surprised to find out about “the value of that tariff.”
Lula da Silva Says Trump Is Not The Emperor Of The World
He further stated that Trump must not forget “that he was elected to govern the US, not to be the emperor of the world.”
Multiple foreign leaders around the world have reportedly voiced their displeasure over Trump’s decision to impose tariffs.
However, for Lula, things are more complicated as he believes that Trump is trying to interfere in domestic issues of Brazil such as the trial of Bolsonaro.
A former president of Brazil, Bolsonaro, is facing a judicial case on charges of attempting a coup and overturn Lula’s victory against him in the general elections of 2022.
Reportedly, Bolsonaro is said to be having a close relationship with Donald Trump and his family.
How Does This Affect The Brazil-US Relationship?
Earlier, Trump had called Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch hunt” and said it must stop quickly. The US president has stated the same for Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu as well.
He also warned that Brazil will face more tariffs if it continues to work as the leading member of BRICS.
In response, Brazil’s President Lula said that the judiciary is independent in Brazil and “president of the republic has no influence whatsoever.”
He added that Bolsonaro is not being targeted, but is “judged by the acts he tried to organize a coup d’etat”.
Lula concluded by saying that “Brazil is to take care of Brazil and take care of the Brazilian people,” and that the country won’t “accept anything imposed on it.
“We accept negotiation and not imposition,” media reports quoted him as saying.
