Brazil’s President Defies US on Bolsonaro Verdict: ‘We Are Not a Banana Republic

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has firmly rejected threats of sanctions from Washington after former President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court for attempting a coup in 2022.

In an interview with Bandeirantes TV, Lula dismissed remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both of whom condemned the ruling. “I do not fear sanctions. The accusations against Brazil are false, and President Trump knows it,” Lula declared. “The president of one country cannot interfere in the decisions of another sovereign nation. The United States must understand it is not dealing with a banana republic.”

The Brazilian leader also brushed aside comments from White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who suggested Washington might use “military means” to defend free expression abroad, saying such threats were not even worthy of a direct response.

Following the court’s decision, Trump told reporters he was “surprised” by the outcome and likened Bolsonaro’s trial to his own legal battles in the U.S. Meanwhile, Washington escalated tensions by revoking visas for Brazilian justices and imposing Magnitsky sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro’s case.

In addition, Trump pointed to Bolsonaro’s sentencing as justification for slapping a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian exports, a move expected to strain trade ties between the two nations.

The clash marks a sharp escalation in U.S.–Brazil relations, with Lula positioning himself as a defender of Brazil’s sovereignty in the face of mounting foreign pressure.