Trump to Brazil: 'Leave Bolsonaro alone'

U.S. President Donald Trump defended former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday in a social media post that said his former ally was the victim of a "witch hunt," a term Trump has used to describe his own treatment by political opponents.

Bolsonaro, who was friendly with Trump when they were both in office, is on trial in Brazil on charges of plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023.

"The only Trial that should be happening is a Trial by the Voters of Brazil — It's called an Election. LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!" Trump wrote on social media.

Lula responded on X, saying Brazil is a sovereign country that "won't accept interference or instruction from anyone."

"No one is above the law. Especially those that threaten freedom and the rule of law," Lula added.

Their exchange came as Lula hosted the BRICS summit of developing nations in Rio de Janeiro, which Trump accused on Sunday of advancing "anti-American policies" and threatened with more tariffs, drawing pushback from members and partner nations.

Bolsonaro said in a statement to Reuters that he was pleased with Trump's support, and again labeled the case against him "political persecution."

Brazil's Supreme Court agreed in March to hear the case against Bolsonaro and seven other people, including several military officers, who were charged with plotting a coup to stop leftist Lula from taking office.

Last month, Bolsonaro denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 election in his testimony before the Supreme Court, but acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing the outcome.

Bolsonaro said he and senior aides discussed alternatives to accepting the electoral results, including the possibility of deploying military forces and suspending some civil liberties, but he said those proposals were soon dropped.

Police spent two years investigating the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital in early 2023, a week after Lula took office.