Lula Warns Trump Not to Meddle in Vote 06/18 06:12

   

   RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva warned 
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday not to meddle in Brazil's October 
presidential election after Trump made his latest criticism of Brazil over 
judicial moves against Lula's political rivals.

   The remarks show the escalating tensions between Brazil and the U.S. after 
the Trump administration proposed further tariffs against the South American 
country and recently classified two drug-trafficking groups as foreign 
terrorist organizations -- moves that Lula opposes.

   Lula has frequently defended Brazil's sovereignty since Trump imposed 
tariffs on the country last year citing a " witch-hunt trial " against his 
ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula also has complained about U.S. 
sanctions imposed on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over what the 
Trump administration called his politically motivated role in prosecuting 
Bolsonaro, who was convicted of attempting a coup to try to stay in power after 
losing the 2022 election to Lula.

   Trump said Wednesday that Brazil had become "dangerous politically" and that 
the government wanted to arrest "Bolsonaro junior," who was "doing well in the 
polls."

   Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday convicted one of Bolsonaro's sons, former 
lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, of coercion related to his father's coup trial and 
sentenced him to four years and two months in prison.

   However the reference to doing well in the polls suggested Trump may have 
been talking about -- or was also talking about -- Bolsonaro's eldest son, Sen. 
Flvio Bolsonaro, who is running against Lula in the presidential election. 
Flvio Bolsonaro has not faced arrest.

   Eduardo Bolsonaro was convicted after the court found that he illegally 
interfered in his father's coup trial by lobbying the U.S. government to 
threaten Brazilian officials to stop the trial.

   A journalist read out Trump's remarks to Lula during a news conference 
following the G7 summit of world leaders in France's Evian-les-Bains, which 
Lula attended. The Brazilian leader said they demonstrated that Trump "doesn't 
know Brazil well."

   "If he knows Brazil through his relations with the Bolsonaro family, he 
doesn't know Brazil," Lula said. "He can go on liking Bolsonaro -- the father, 
the son, the grandson -- that's not my problem, it's his. (...) But don't 
interfere in Brazil's elections, because Brazil's elections are Brazil's 
business."

   Eduardo and Flvio Bolsonaro recently visited U.S. officials in Washington, 
including Trump. Shortly afterwards, the Trump administration classified 
Brazil's biggest drug-trafficking groups -- First Command Capital and Red 
Command -- as foreign terrorist organizations. Lula criticized that decision 
Wednesday, arguing that while the groups terrorize local populations they are 
not terrorist organizations because they seek profit rather than political 
change.

   The U.S. government also had proposed a new 25% tariff on imports from 
Brazil, claiming the world's 10th-biggest economy engages in unreasonable trade 
practices. That move came despite a trip by Lula to Washington to try to 
persuade Trump not to apply further tariffs.

   Lula has expressed his grievance over that tariff, and did so again on 
Wednesday. "I think what he did was disrespectful toward Brazil. He knows that. 
That's why I said he still behaves like an emperor. We were negotiating an 
agreement."