Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has defended the trial which saw his predecessor in office, Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
In an opinion piece published in the New York Times, Lula dismissed the description by US President Donald Trump of the trial as a witch hunt, saying that it was a historic decision that safeguards our institutions and the democratic rule of law.
The Brazilian leader said he wrote the essay to establish an open and frank dialogue with Trump, who has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, labeling the tariff hike as not only misguided but illogical.
Relations have been tense between the US and Brazil in recent months, contrasting sharply with the camaraderie during Bolsonaro's presidency. Lula emphasized that the US had accumulated a surplus of $410 billion in trade over the past 15 years, suggesting the tariffs might be politically motivated.
In his op-ed, Lula sought to refute claims by the Trump administration about Brazil's justice system targeting US tech firms, asserting that regulations on the internet were necessary and fair.
He concluded by inviting Trump for negotiations that can bring mutual benefits but warned that Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table.
