Lula Pushes Back Against Trump Tariff  09/15 06:15

   

   BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Brazil's President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva on 
Sunday pushed back against a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods to the 
United States, arguing that it was "political" and "illogical."

   Lula said in a New York Times op-ed that his government is open to 
negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits. "But Brazil's democracy 
and sovereignty are not on the table," he said.

   U.S. President Donald Trump imposed the tariff on Brazil in July, citing 
what he called a "witch hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who at 
the time stood accused of trying to illegally hang onto power.

   The trial came to an end on Thursday after a panel of Supreme Court justices 
ruled that Bolsonaro had attempted a coup after his 2022 electoral defeat to 
Lula, sparking fears of further U.S. measures against Brazil.

   Lula said he was proud of the Supreme Court for its "historic decision" 
which safeguards Brazil's institutions, the democratic rule of law and is not a 
"witch hunt."

   "(The ruling) followed months of investigations that uncovered plans to 
assassinate me, the vice president and a Supreme Court justice," Lula said.

   Lula added that the tariff increase was "not only misguided but illogical," 
citing the surplus of $410 billion in bilateral trade in goods and services the 
U.S. has accumulated over the past 15 years.

   The op-ed is a sign that Brazil is bracing for more possible sanctions after 
the Supreme Court's decision.

   After Thursday's ruling, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X 
that Trump's government "will respond accordingly."

   Brazil's Foreign Ministry called Rubio's comments an inappropriate threat 
that wouldn't intimidate the government, saying the country's judiciary is 
independent and that Bolsonaro was granted due process.

   Bolsonaro on Sunday briefly left his home in Brasilia where he is under 
house arrest to undergo a medical procedure at a nearby hospital, his first 
public appearance since Thursday's ruling.

   Escorted by police, Bolsonaro went to the DF Star hospital in Brazil's 
capital in the morning for procedures related to skin lesions -- a temporary 
release granted by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Sept. 8.

   He was later discharged, doctors from the hospital said in a statement. 
Medical staff removed eight skin lesions that will be sent for analysis to 
establish a definitive diagnosis and assess the need for further treatment.

   The 70-year-old far-right politician was placed under house arrest in early 
August, after de Moraes said that Bolsonaro had violated precautionary measures 
imposed on him in the context of the coup trial. He had already been wearing an 
ankle monitor.

   In late August, de Moraes increased security measures further and ordered 
that police conduct inspections of all vehicles leaving Bolsonaro's residence 
and monitor the exterior of the house.

   After the medical visit, Bolsonaro must file a certificate of attendance, 
indicating the date and times of the appointments, to the Supreme Court.

   Bolsonaro's son Carlos took to social media to complain about what he deemed 
to be excessive policing around his father's trip to the hospital.

   "I'm with my father and witnessing the continuation of the biggest circus in 
Brazilian history," he wrote on X. "A convoy with more than 20 men ostensibly 
armed with rifles (...) just to promote the humiliation of an honest man."

   Die-hard supporters of Bolsonaro awaited the ex-president when he arrived at 
the hospital on Sunday and greeted him with shouts of "Amnesty now!" The chant 
is in reference to the push of Bolsonaro's allies in Congress to grant the 
former president some kind of amnesty.

   "We're here to provide spiritual and psychological support," said Deuslis 
Filho, 46, the president of a group of Bolsonaro supporters called Influencers 
of Brazil.

   Thursday's sentence doesn't mean that Bolsonaro will immediately go to 
prison. The court panel has now up to 60 days to publish the ruling. Once it 
does, Bolsonaro's lawyers have five days to file motions for clarification.

   His lawyers have said that they will try to appeal both the conviction and 
sentence before the full Supreme Court of 11 justices, although some experts 
think it's unlikely to be accepted.