Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro looks on during “Power of The People” event hosted by Turning Point USA at Trump National Doral Miami Resort in Doral, Florida, U.S., February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) – 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.

In March, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Bolsonaro and seven other people, including several military officers, who were charged with plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023.

Last month, Bolsonaro denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government during his trial before the country’s 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.

The charges stem from a two-year police investigation into the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital in early 2023, a week after Lula took office.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Suggested Topics:

Read Next

Romania’s two-week-old broad coalition government is set to face a no-confidence vote as it seeks to speed through planned tax hikes that have triggered street protests even though they are needed to avert a ratings downgrade to below investment grade.

Site Index

About Reuters

Stay Informed

Information you can trust

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.

Read More