ALBAWABA- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday denounced the United States for revoking the visa of Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, calling the move “irresponsible” and expressing solidarity with his colleague.
Iran rejects Australia’s accusations of orchestrating antisemitic attacks, vows reciprocal measures“I wanted to express my solidarity and the government’s solidarity with Minister Lewandowski in the face of this irresponsible gesture by the United States,” Lula told a ministerial meeting in Brasília.
The U.S. State Department has yet to confirm the action, which comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Brasília under President Donald Trump’s second term.
The visa revocation is the latest in a series of punitive measures targeting Brazilian officials over the trial of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who faces charges of coup plotting.
In recent weeks, Trump has imposed crippling tariffs of up to 50% on key Brazilian exports, including coffee, beef, and steel, and sanctioned Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro’s case.
The U.S. president has dismissed the proceedings as a “witch hunt” and accused Brazil’s judiciary of political persecution and censorship, particularly after social media platforms faced suspensions for failing to comply with court orders.
The rupture marks a dramatic reversal from the warmth of Trump’s ties with Bolsonaro during the latter’s 2019–2022 presidency, when both leaders aligned on anti-communism and trade.
Since Lula’s election in 2022, relations have soured over issues ranging from Amazon conservation to Brazil’s growing role in BRICS and its push for de-dollarization.
