Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday claimed that Brazil will not stand for being disrespected by other countries, making a sharp statement in the face of escalating tensions with the United States.
At the second ministerial cabinet meeting of the year, Lula stressed that foreign powers cannot dictate terms to Brazil and reiterated that no one in the country is above the law.
Emphasizing Brazil's sovereignty, he stated, "Anyone who wishes to come to these 8.5 million square kilometers, our airspace, our sea space, our forests, needs to be answerable to our Constitution and our laws."
The president also referred to the recent actions of US President Donald Trump, such as imposing high tariffs on Brazilian products and threats against any domestic move to regulate big US technology companies.
Lula emphasized that Brazil is willing to negotiate with the United States "on equal terms," going on to say, "What we are not prepared to accept is to be treated as if we were subordinates."
On July 30, the Trump administration made the announcement to impose tariffs up to 50 percent on Brazilian imports and aim at Alexandre de Moraes, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice. Moraes is overseeing former President Jair Bolsonaro's trial after he was charged with trying to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 presidential election.
Earlier this month, Trump had referred to Brazil as a "horrible trading partner" and termed the trial of Bolsonaro as a "political execution."
Meanwhile, Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday directed 24-hour surveillance of Bolsonaro in case he planned to escape house arrest before a decision in his trial for his alleged role in a coup.
Justice Moraes authorized a federal prosecutors' request after warning that Bolsonaro might attempt to take refuge in a foreign embassy. Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest in the capital, Brasilia.
Moraes reported that steps by Bolsonaro's son, legislator Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is campaigning in the US against the trial and calling for an amnesty in Congress, "show up the possibility of Jair Messias Bolsonaro escaping so as to avoid the application of criminal law."
The last hearings in the case are set for September 2, with Bolsonaro and 35 co-defendants—former officials and military personnel—awaiting trial for their suspected participation in the failed coup after Bolsonaro's defeat in the 2022 election.
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