Brazil’s Lula says Trump would be in prison if Jan 6 Capitol attack happened there

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized Donald Trump’s campaign against Brazil’s judiciary. Lula said that if the January 6 Capitol attacks in the US had happened in Brazil, Trump would have been put on trial.

Experts say Trump has caused the biggest diplomatic rupture between the US and Brazil by imposing 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioning a Brazilian supreme court judge. These moves are seen as helping ex-president Jair Bolsonaro avoid prison, reported by The Guardian.

Bolsonaro trial and Trump pressure

Bolsonaro could get up to 40 years in prison when the supreme court announces its verdict in the coming weeks. Trump called Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch-hunt” and urged Brazilian authorities to stop the proceedings.


On Wednesday, Lula announced a rescue package for companies affected by Trump’s tariffs. At the same event in Brasília, he defended Brazil’s judiciary and its handling of Bolsonaro’s trial. Lula said Brazil's justice system judges based on evidence from witnesses. Presumption of innocence is fully respected. Trials are democratic and fair, not arbitrary, as per The Guardian report.

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Lula told Trump, “If what happened in the Capitol had happened in Brazil, he (Trump) would be put on trial here in Brazil too.” The US State Department released its annual human rights report, accusing Brazil of undermining democratic debate. Suppressing speech of Bolsonaro supporters, journalists, and elected politicians.

Brazil-US tensions and human rights

He said Brazil will not accept being told it violates human rights, and there was no reason for the US tariffs. Lula lamented that the 201-year-old Brazil-US relationship is being “thrown away” due to Trump’s actions. Lula urged citizens not to fear Trump’s pressure campaign. He reminded them that Trump avoided charges for trying to overturn the 2020 US election. Trump pardoned about 1,500 people involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, claims reports.

In Brazil, 141 people are in prison for taking part in the January 8, 2023 riots in Brasília, linked to Bolsonaro’s attempted coup. Lula said people should not be scared by crises. He explained that crises exist for creating new things and reminded us that humanity has achieved great things during difficult times, as per the The Guardian report.

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