'Brazil's Elections Are Brazil's Business': Lula Rebukes Trump Against Interference
'Brazil's Elections Are Brazil's Business': Lula Rebukes Trump Against Interference Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026, 02:09 IST Trump described Brazil as having become
'Brazil's Elections Are Brazil's Business': Lula Rebukes Trump Against Interference Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026, 02:09 IST Trump described Brazil as having become "a little dangerous politically" and criticizing the court ruling against Eduardo Bolsonaro. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said US President Donald Trump was free to support the Bolsonaro family politically but should refrain from interfering in Brazil’s presidential election scheduled for October. Speaking to journalists in Geneva following the G7 summit in France, Lula said foreign leaders were entitled to their political preferences but should respect Brazil’s democratic process. “He is entitled to his electoral and ideological preferences. However, Brazil’s elections are Brazil’s business," Lula said, referring to Trump. The remarks come amid renewed tensions between the two leaders, whose relationship has deteriorated in recent months over trade disputes and US tariff threats.
Lula and Trump attended the G7 summit but did not hold an official bilateral meeting. Trump has long maintained close ties with former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro’s son, Flavio Bolsonaro, is challenging Lula in the October presidential election, setting the stage for a closely watched contest between Brazil’s left and right. The political dispute gained further attention after Eduardo Bolsonaro, another son of the former president, was sentenced in absentia to more than four years in prison for lobbying in the United States in support of sanctions against Brazil. Trump weighed in on the developments after the G7 summit, describing Brazil as having become “a little dangerous politically" and criticizing the court ruling against Eduardo Bolsonaro. “They play pretty tough," Trump said of Brazil, adding, “But nobody plays tougher than the United States." Lula dismissed suggestions of foreign involvement in Brazil’s electoral process and said Trump could learn from the country’s democratic traditions.
“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," Lula said, asserting, “However, he should not meddle in Brazil’s elections." The exchange highlights growing strains in relations between Brasília and Washington ahead of Brazil’s October vote, which is expected to be one of the country’s most consequential elections in recent years. Despite their political differences, Lula stopped short of directly criticizing Trump’s support for the Bolsonaro family, instead focusing on what he described as the importance of respecting Brazil’s sovereignty and electoral institutions. The October election is expected to serve as a major test of Lula’s government as he seeks another term against a resurgent conservative opposition led by the Bolsonaro political camp.
The BriefWire