Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned Wednesday that his US counterpart Donald Trump may support the right-wing Bolsonaro family, but he "should not meddle" in the October presidential election.
"He is entitled to his electoral and ideological preferences. However ... Brazil's elections are Brazil's business," Lula told journalists in Geneva after the G7 Leaders Summit held in France.
Lula and Trump have had an up-and-down relationship, which has soured again recently over new tariff threats. The pair did not hold an official meeting at the G7.
Trump is a close ally of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, whose son Flavio is running against Lula in the October vote.
Another one of Bolsonaro's sons, Eduardo, was sentenced in absentia Tuesday to over four years in prison for lobbying in the US for sanctions on his country.
Trump told journalists after the G7 that Brazil had become "a little dangerous politically," referring to the decision.
"They play pretty tough," Trump said of Brazil. "But nobody plays tougher than the United States."
Lula said Trump could "learn from Brazil's civilised elections."
"As far as I'm concerned, he can keep liking Bolsonaro – the father, the son, the grandson – that's not an issue. After all, there's no accounting for taste. However, he should not meddle in Brazil's elections," Lula said.
Bolsonaro son sentenced
Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced Eduardo Bolsonaro in absentia to four years and two months in prison after he urged US sanctions on his country during his father's coup trial.
Jair Bolsonaro's third son, who lives in the United States, had attempted to curry American favour for the former far-right president.
The ex-leader is serving 27 years in prison for plotting a coup in 2022.
Four Supreme Court judges ruled in favour of the prosecutors, who charged Eduardo Bolsonaro with "threatening judicial authorities and officials from other branches of government" by saying he would secure US sanctions "if the proceedings did not end" well for his father.
"It is not the role of a Brazilian federal deputy to lobby abroad against their own country," said Judge Alexandre de Moraes, a figure who has been criticised by Washington.
The 41-year-old will also be barred from holding public office for eight years, a decision he may appeal.
"The real purpose of this senseless trial is only one: to remove my name from the elections," read a statement from Bolsonaro, who was planning to run as a substitute Senate candidate in elections in October.
Tariff row
At first, Bolsonaro's ploy worked. Last year, Trump hit Brazil with steep tariffs as punishment for what he called a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro senior.
However, the duties were lifted after a first official meeting between Lula and Trump.
The Trump administration had also sanctioned Supreme Court Judge Moraes, but those measures were also lifted.
In December, Eduardo Bolsonaro was stripped of his seat in the lower house of Congress for his excessive absences.
– TIMES/AFP
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