Brazil is an independent nation and Brazilians are "masters of our own destiny," declared President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a message to US President Donald Trump.
His words were made a day after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that Washington will not shy away from exercising its "economic and military power" to protect freedom of speech, when queried about the trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Xinhua said.
Replying to the US position, Lula stated: "If Trump arrives, we will have to take him to see this panel so he can observe it and compare it to the American panel. So he knows that we have confidence in ourselves. We are a sovereign nation and we are the masters of our own fate. This is a show of Brazilian efficiency in every sphere."
On July 30, the Trump administration announced plans to apply tariffs of as much as 50% on Brazilian goods and sanction Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is presiding over Bolsonaro's case regarding accusations of trying to hold onto power after losing the 2022 elections.
Previously in August, Lula indirectly rebuffed Washington, stating Brazil would not tolerate being treated as second-rate. Speaking before his cabinet on August 26, he emphasized that no other foreign country could boss Brazil around and that responsibility cut both ways in the country.
Emphasizing sovereignty once again, Lula put it this way: "Anyone who wishes to set foot in these 8.5 million square kilometres, our air space, our sea space, our forests, should be answerable to our Constitution and our laws."
The president also condemned Trump's planned tariffs on Brazilian products and his threats against regulation of large US technology companies. Lula reiterated that Brazil is willing to negotiate with the United States, but only on equal terms. "What we are not going to accept is to be treated as if we were subordinates," he continued.
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