President Lula raises his voice against the American leader: “We don’t need an emperor of the world”
“Respect is good, and we like respect,” declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in an interview with CNN International, making it clear that Brazil will not tolerate disrespect for its democratic institutions and national sovereignty. The phrase, loaded with diplomatic firmness, summarizes the tone adopted by the head of the Brazilian Executive in the face of recent statements and measures by US President Donald Trump.
In an interview granted to the renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour, one of the most respected professionals in international journalism and anchor for CNN International – the network with the greatest visibility in the United States and the world –, President Lula made it clear that he will not tolerate any disrespect towards Brazil, Brazilian democratic institutions, or himself, the President of the Republic elected with over 60 million votes.
The interview occurred at a time of high tension in bilateral relations, after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian products and made statements about the Brazilian judicial system, specifically regarding the case involving former President Jair Bolsonaro.
“He was not elected to be emperor of the world”
The Brazilian president’s most forceful criticism came when questioned about the tariffs imposed by the United States. “What we cannot have is a President Trump forgetting that he was elected to govern the US. He was not elected to be the emperor of the world,” Lula declared, in one of the most striking passages of the interview.
The Brazilian president showed indignation at how the measures were announced, without any prior diplomatic dialogue. “To our surprise, instead of a response to the letter we sent, we received the news published on President Trump’s website. It was not a letter officially sent through diplomatic channels,” Lula explained, classifying the attitude as “a mistake, a big mistake.”
Defense of Judicial Independence
When confronted with Trump’s statements about the Bolsonaro case, Lula was emphatic in defending the independence of the Brazilian judicial system. “The judicial branch of power in Brazil is independent. The President of the Republic has no influence whatsoever over the Supreme Federal Court and its ministers,” he stated.
The Brazilian president made a point of clarifying that Bolsonaro is not being judged for being a political opponent, but for the acts he committed. “He is not being judged personally. He is being judged for the acts; he tried to organize a coup d’état. He secretly threatened, planned the deaths of the vice-president, myself, and the president of the Supreme Federal Court,” Lula declared.
The Brazilian president showed indignation at how the measures were announced, without any prior diplomatic dialogue. “To our surprise, instead of a response to the letter we sent, we received the news published on President Trump’s website. It was not a letter officially sent through diplomatic channels,” Lula explained, classifying the attitude as “a mistake, a big mistake.”
Defense of Judicial Independence
When confronted with Trump’s statements about the Bolsonaro case, Lula was emphatic in defending the independence of the Brazilian judicial system. “The judicial branch of power in Brazil is independent. The President of the Republic has no influence whatsoever over the Supreme Federal Court and its ministers,” he stated.
The Brazilian president made a point of clarifying that Bolsonaro is not being judged for being a political opponent, but for the acts he committed. “He is not being judged personally. He is being judged for the acts; he tried to organize a coup d’état. He secretly threatened, planned the deaths of the vice-president, myself, and the president of the Supreme Federal Court,” Lula declared.
50% Tariffs: “It Was a Surprise”
Questioned by Christiane Amanpour about how he felt receiving a 50% tariff from the United States, the world’s largest economy, Lula did not hide his surprise. “For me, it was a surprise, not only the amount of this tariff, but also how it was announced, the way it was announced,” the president responded.
Lula sharply criticized the lack of multilateralism in Trump’s approach. “I think there’s a lack of multilateralism in President Trump’s mindset. And he knows that a problem of this kind is resolved at a negotiating table,” he stated.
The Brazilian president revealed that Brazil had been negotiating with the United States for months, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Vice President of the Republic, who is also the Minister of Industry and Development. “Since March, we sent a proposal to the American government. After 10 meetings, we sent a proposal on May 7th, stating what we wanted and what a possible restoration agreement could be,” he explained.
Contested Data and National Sovereignty
Lula vehemently contested the information presented by Trump to justify the tariffs. “President Trump’s letter is full of things that are not true,” he declared. “First, the judicial system in Brazil is independent. The President of the Republic cannot interfere with the judicial branch of power.”
The president also corrected data on the trade deficit: “Second, the trade deficit is not true. The United States, in the last 15 years, has had a surplus of 410 billion dollars in relation to Brazil.”
“If Trump were Brazilian, he would also be on trial”
In one of the most provocative passages of the interview, Lula made a direct comparison between Trump and Bolsonaro. “I would like to say something to the American people. If Trump were Brazilian, and if he had done what happened at the Capitol, he would also be on trial in Brazil and would have violated the Constitution, according to the ministers. He could also be arrested if he had done that here in Brazil,” he declared.
Diplomatic Response and Possible Retaliations
Despite the firm tone, Lula signaled that Brazil would first seek dialogue. “What I have been saying publicly is that we will use every word that exists in the dictionary trying to negotiate,” the president affirmed.
However, if negotiations do not progress, Brazil is prepared to retaliate. “If we cannot reach an agreement, I can assure you that we will go to the World Trade Organization or we can gather a group of countries to respond, or we can use the law of reciprocity that was approved by the National Congress,” Lula warned.
“Respect Is a Very Good Thing”
The president concluded his statements by reaffirming the importance of mutual respect in international relations. “We will send an official diplomatic letter from the President of the Republic of Brazil to President Trump so that he knows that respect is a very good thing. And I like to show respect, and I like to receive respect,” he concluded.
The interview made it clear that, under Lula’s leadership, Brazil will not bow to external pressures and will firmly defend its national sovereignty and the independence of its democratic institutions, even in the face of the world’s greatest power.
