&w=3840&q=100)
Trump pressures Brazil to drop charges against Bolsonaro; Lula hits back
This comes just a week after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the South American nation. In a letter addressed to Bolsonaro, Trump described him as a victim of 'terrible treatment' and demanded that the trial 'should end immediately.' He also voiced concern over growing threats to free speech in both Brazil and the United States.
In the letter, Trump lashed out at the Brazilian government, calling it a 'ridiculous censorship regime.'
Bolsonaro accused of leading coup attempt after election defeat
Days after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's 2023 inauguration, Bolsonaro's supporters stormed Brazil's capital, Brasília, vandalising government buildings under the false belief that the 2022 election had been stolen.
Bolsonaro, a long-time Trump admirer and former army captain, is accused of orchestrating a coup attempt after losing the October 2022 election. According to an AP report, he faces charges for leading an armed criminal organisation and attempting the violent abolition of Brazil's democratic rule of law.
He has denied involvement in the failed 2023 coup. Since leaving office, his legal troubles have grown, and he has been banned from holding public office.
Bolsonaro's son lobbies Trump administration over court crackdown
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro's son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a federal lawmaker, has reportedly lobbied the Trump administration in Washington to intervene against Brazil's Supreme Court.
The Bloomberg report noted that the Bolsonaro family holds strong animosity towards Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro's trial. Moraes has sentenced hundreds of rioters to prison and is now a primary target of Bolsonaro's political allies.
Eduardo Bolsonaro has also urged Trump officials to sanction Justice Moraes, accusing him of silencing conservative voices and overstepping legal bounds.
Lula calls Bolsonaro's supporters traitors in national address
In a national address on Thursday evening, Lula condemned Brazilian politicians who supported Trump's stance, labelling them 'traitors.'
Calling for national unity, Lula said, 'They thrive on chaos and believe the worse things get, the better for them. We stand united in defence of Brazil. And we will do so with our heads held high.'
Lula rejects Trump's tariff threat, calls it 'unacceptable blackmail'
Lula also criticised Trump's recent threat to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods, calling it 'unacceptable blackmail,' Financial Times reported.
Speaking in a televised address, Lula accused Trump of attempting to interfere in Brazil's justice system and called the move a 'grave attack on national sovereignty.' He dismissed US allegations of unfair trade practices as 'false.'
Lula added that Brazilian officials had held more than 10 meetings with their US counterparts and submitted a proposal on May 16. 'We expected a response, but what we received was unacceptable blackmail—in the form of threats to Brazilian institutions and false information about trade between Brazil and the United States,' he said.
According to the Financial Times, Brazil views Trump's latest wave of tariffs as politically motivated, especially since the US runs a trade surplus with Brazil.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Alleged hate speech against Christian community in Andhra Pradesh: SC to hear plea on Monday
NEW DELHI: Enraged by certain anti-religious remarks and hate speeches delivered by certain members of an organisation against the Christian community in Andhra Pradesh, the petitioner has moved the Supreme Court by filing an appeal by challenging the State High Court's order refusing to take action against the accused persons. A two-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled to hear the appeal filed by lawyer, Rana Sandeep Bussa in the case. The alleged hate speech was delivered on 01, September last year by certain members of one Siva Shakti Foundation, which organised its 9th Anniversary function in AP. The event saw a gathering of around 1,000 people and 10,000 viewership on live telecast of the programs on social media. It was titled as, 'Which religion is good for the nation." The host and the guests on the Dias mocked the Christian Religion, the Bible, the crucifix and enraged the sentiments of Christian's in the state of AP. Thereafter the President of the foundation on 08, September made certain further alleged and gross comments on YouTube live instigating the followers to trample the bible and urinate over the Bible.
Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump, Xi might meet ahead of or during October APEC summit in South Korea
US President Donald Trump might visit China before going to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit between October 30 and November 1, or he could meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC event in South Korea, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday citing multiple sources. The two countries have been trying to negotiate an end to an escalating tit-for-tat tariff war that has upended global trade and supply chains. Trump has sought to impose tariffs on US importers for virtually all foreign goods, which he says will stimulate domestic manufacturing and which critics say will make many consumer goods more expensive for Americans. He has called for a universal base tariff rate of 10% on goods imported from all countries, with higher rates for imports from the most 'problematic' ones, including China: imports from there now have the highest tariff rate of 55%. Trump has set a deadline of August 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariffs agreement. A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment about the reported plans for a meeting with Xi in the fall. The two countries' most recent high-level meeting was on July 11, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had what both described as a productive and positive meeting in Malaysia about how trade negotiations should proceed. Rubio noted then that Trump had been invited to China to meet with Xi, and said that both leaders 'want it to happen.' On Friday, China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China wants to bring its trade ties with the US back to a stable footing and that recent talks in Europe showed there was no need for a tariff war
News18
22 minutes ago
- News18
Trump, Xi Jinping Likely To Meet During October APEC Summit In South Korea: Report
Trump has aimed to impose tariffs on US importers for almost all foreign goods, claiming it will stimulate domestic manufacturing. Critics argue this will make many consumer goods more expensive for Americans. He has called for a universal base tariff rate of 10 per cent on goods imported from all countries, with higher rates for imports from the most 'problematic" ones, including China, where imports now have the highest tariff rate of 55%. The Reuters reported that Trump has set a deadline of August 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariffs agreement. The two countries' most recent high-level meeting was on July 11, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had what both described as a productive and positive meeting in Malaysia about how trade negotiations should proceed. Rubio noted then that Trump had been invited to China to meet with Xi, and said that both leaders 'want it to happen."
