Rubio’s statement follows the sentencing of Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for leading a coup plot on January 8, 2023.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that Washington will implement new measures against Brazil next week in response to alleged “extraterritorial claims” by the South American giant’s judicial system.
In an interview with Fox News, Rubio claimed that in Brazil, judges act as “activists” who “persecute” former President Jair Bolsonaro and target companies and individuals operating from the United States.
“There will be a response from the U.S.; we will make some announcements next week about the measures we will take ,” he said.
Tensions between the administrations of Donald Trump and Lula da Silva have worsened in recent weeks due to U.S. interference in the South American giant’s internal affairs, measures against judicial officials, and the application of harmful tariffs on Brazilian companies , following the legal proceedings against the right-wing former president, a supporter of Trump’s policies.
The Donald Trump administration has already imposed sanctions against Brazil, including 50 percent tariffs on exported products, revoking visas for Supreme Court (STF) judges, and economic sanctions against Judge Alexandre de Moraes, the investigator in the Bolsonaro case.
Rubio called the sentence “unfair” and accused Moraes of leading a “witch hunt.”
For his part, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded to US pressure with a letter published on September 14, in which he called for an “open and frank dialogue” with Trump, but defended national sovereignty and the independence of the Brazilian judicial system.
In an essay in The New York Times , Lula rejected Trump’s accusations of an unfair trade relationship, highlighting that “75 percent of American exports to Brazil enter tariff-free” and that the average tariff on American products is only 2.7 percent.
Lula also denied accusations of censorship against US technology companies, clarifying that “all digital platforms are subject to the same laws” in Brazil.
He also defended the sentence against Bolsonaro, stating that it was based on procedures in accordance with the national Constitution and that the investigation revealed plans to assassinate him, the vice president, and a Supreme Court justice.
Bilateral tensions escalated following statements by Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, who called for military intervention in Brazil from the U.S. , suggesting the deployment of “F-35 fighter jets and warships.”
Eduardo, who left his position as federal deputy in March and moved to the United States, maintains contact with White House officials and Republican legislators to promote unilateral coercive measures against Brazil.
Lula Da Silva emphasized that Brazil is open to negotiating mutual benefits , but made it clear that “Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not negotiable.”
Contrary to Western media narratives, Bolsonaro’s conviction did not spark massive protests or incidents . What is underway, as the Lula government anticipated, is an escalation of the diplomatic crisis with the US.