Brazil’s Lula pushes back against tariff, tells Trump the country’s democracy ‘is not on the table’

BRASILIA Brazil AP Brazil s President Luiz In cio Lula da Silva on Sunday pushed back against a tariff on Brazilian imported goods to the United States arguing that it was political and illogical Lula disclosed in a New York Times op-ed that his establishment is open to negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits But Brazil s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table he revealed U S President Donald Trump imposed the tariff on Brazil in July citing what he called a witch hunt against former President Jair Bolsonaro who at the time stood accused of trying to illegally hang onto power The trial came to an end on Thursday after a panel of Supreme Court justices ruled that Bolsonaro had attempted a coup after his electoral defeat to Lula sparking fears of further U S measures against Brazil Lula reported he was proud of the Supreme Court for its historic decision which safeguards Brazil s institutions the democratic rule of law and is not a witch hunt The ruling followed months of investigations that uncovered plans to assassinate me the vice president and a Supreme Court justice Lula announced Lula added that the tariff increase was not only misguided but illogical citing the surplus of billion in bilateral agreement in goods and services the U S has accumulated over the past years The op-ed is a sign that Brazil is bracing for more achievable sanctions after the Supreme Court s decision After Thursday s ruling U S Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that Trump s administration will respond accordingly Brazil s Foreign Ministry called Rubio s comments an inappropriate threat that wouldn t intimidate the authorities saying the country s judiciary is independent and that Bolsonaro was granted due process Bolsonaro on Sunday briefly left his home in Brasilia where he is under house arrest to undergo a diagnostic procedure at a nearby hospital his first population appearance since Thursday s ruling Escorted by police Bolsonaro went to the DF Star hospital in Brazil s capital in the morning for procedures related to skin lesions a temporary release granted by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Sept He was later discharged doctors from the hospital announced in a comment Healthcare staff removed eight skin lesions that will be sent for analysis to establish a definitive evaluation and assess the need for further recovery The -year-old far-right politician was placed under house arrest in early August after de Moraes disclosed that Bolsonaro had violated precautionary measures imposed on him in the context of the coup trial He had already been wearing an ankle monitor In late August de Moraes increased assurance measures further and ordered that police conduct inspections of all vehicles leaving Bolsonaro s residence and monitor the exterior of the house After the diagnostic visit Bolsonaro must file a certificate of attendance indicating the date and times of the appointments to the Supreme Court Bolsonaro s son Carlos took to social media to complain about what he deemed to be excessive policing around his father s trip to the hospital I m with my father and witnessing the continuation of the biggest circus in Brazilian history he wrote on X A convoy with more than men ostensibly armed with rifles just to promote the humiliation of an honest man Die-hard supporters of Bolsonaro awaited the ex-president when he arrived at the hospital on Sunday and greeted him with shouts of Amnesty now The chant is in reference to the push of Bolsonaro s allies in Congress to grant the former president certain kind of amnesty We re here to provide spiritual and psychological aid disclosed Deus lis Filho the president of a group of Bolsonaro supporters called Influencers of Brazil Thursday s sentence doesn t mean that Bolsonaro will right away go to prison The court panel has now up to days to publish the ruling Once it does Bolsonaro s lawyers have five days to file motions for clarification His lawyers have declared that they will try to appeal both the conviction and sentence before the full Supreme Court of justices although particular experts think it s unlikely to be accepted El onore Hughes informed from Rio de Janeiro Source