(Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that recent “unilateral attacks” against his country’s institutions and economy were unacceptable, in a stern rebuke of U.S. foreign policy.
Lula’s comments echoed his running criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs, visa restrictions and financial sanctions in response to the trial and conviction of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election.
“Attacks on sovereignty, arbitrary sanctions and unilateral interventions are becoming the rule,” Lula said, without naming Trump. “There is no justification for the unilateral and arbitrary measures against our institutions and our economy.”
On Monday, Washington imposed sanctions on the wife of the judge who presided over the Supreme Court trial of Bolsonaro, which Trump called a “witch hunt,” and revoked the visas of six high-ranking Brazilian officials.
The Trump administration had previously sanctioned Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes under the Magnitsky Act and slapped a 50% tariff on U.S. imports of many Brazilian goods.
Lula also defended the investigation and due process resulting in the conviction of Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting the coup to stay in power.
“He had full rights to defense,” Lula said. “Before the eyes of the world, Brazil sent a message to all aspiring autocrats and their supporters: our democracy and our sovereignty are non-negotiable.”
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo in Sao PauloEditing by Brad Haynes and Deepa Babington)
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