**Trump Pressures Brazil to Halt Prosecution of Bolsonaro Amid Coup Allegations**

The tension escalates as Trump and Bolsonaro find common ground in their legal struggles, while Brazil asserts its sovereignty.

Former US President Donald Trump has called on Brazilian authorities to cease their legal pursuit of former President Jair Bolsonaro, branding the situation a "WITCH HUNT." Bolsonaro, who presided over Brazil from 2019 to 2022, is currently facing trial for purportedly instigating a coup against incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has firmly refuted any claims of involvement in such a conspiracy.

In a recent social media post, Trump asserted that Bolsonaro is "not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE," urging prosecutors to "LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!" In response, President Lula remarked that Brazil, as a sovereign nation, will "not accept interference or instruction from anyone." He emphasized that "No one is above the law, especially those that threaten freedom and the rule of law," on the platform X.

Trump, using his platform Truth Social, lauded Bolsonaro as a "strong leader" who "truly loved his country," while drawing parallels between Bolsonaro’s legal troubles and his own past. "This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent - Something I know much about! It happened to me, times 10," he noted.

Bolsonaro echoed Trump's sentiments, calling the charges against him "clear political persecution." Minister of Institutional Affairs Gleisi Hoffmann, however, rebuffed Trump’s comments, stating, "The time when Brazil was subservient to the US was the time of Bolsonaro," urging the US president to focus on his domestic issues and respect Brazil's judicial independence.

This diplomatic spat unfolds as President Lula hosts various global leaders at a Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro, amid Trump’s threats of imposing additional tariffs on countries he deems as pro-Brics.

The two leaders had a cordial relationship during their respective presidencies, culminating in a gift exchange at the White House in 2019. Since their election losses, both Trump and Bolsonaro have refrained from conceding defeat. Following Lula's inauguration in January 2023, there was a significant insurrection in Brasília by Bolsonaro supporters, identified by federal authorities as an attempted coup, during which Bolsonaro was in the US. He has continuously denied any ties to the incident.

While Bolsonaro awaits a resolution on charges that have him barred from running for public office until 2030 over claims of electoral fraud, he has expressed intentions to contest this ban, eyeing a potential return in the 2026 elections. In his recent court statement, Bolsonaro condemned any attempts of a coup as an "abominable thing." If convicted on the current charges, the former leader could face a lengthy prison sentence.