Brazil’s Supreme Court Convicts Bolsonaro for Coup Attempt, Lula Rejects US 'Witch Hunt' Claims

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended the conviction of his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro for attempting a coup, calling the Supreme Court ruling a necessary defense of democracy and rejecting US criticism as politically motivated. Bolsonaro received a 27-year prison sentence and was barred from holding office until 2060, a verdict that has provoked a diplomatic dispute with the United States. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the conviction, labeling it a "witch hunt" and warning of consequences, including tariffs and sanctions against Brazil and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Lula countered these accusations in a New York Times op-ed, emphasizing that the US actions were misguided and politically driven, and defended Brazil's regulation of technology firms. US officials, including Undersecretary Darren Beattie and Christopher Landau, have described the conviction as part of a persecution campaign led by Moraes, further straining bilateral relations to their worst point in two centuries. The ongoing tensions highlight a deep rift between Brazil's current government and the Trump administration over the legitimacy of the Bolsonaro trial and its broader implications for democracy and sovereignty in the Americas.