Bolsonaro case ‘not a witch hunt’

Brazil leader defends top court's decision

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pushed back Sunday against harsh US criticism of the conviction this week of his farright predecessor Jair Bolsonaro on coup charges.

In his first public reaction to Bolsonaro's conviction, Mr Lula wrote in a New York Times opinion column - addressed to US counterpart Donald Trump - that he was "proud" of the Supreme Court verdict which "safeguards our institutions and the democratic rule of law".

"This was not a 'witch hunt" as Mr Trump and other US officials have called the trial, Mr Lula wrote in a guest essay titled: "Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are nonnegotiable."

Mr Trump's ally Bolsonaro, 70, was convicted in a 4-1 decision of plotting a coup to overthrow leftist rival Lula following the far-right leader's October 2022 election defeat. His lawyers have said they will appeal.

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Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison, in a conviction Mr Trump called "very surprising" and to which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Washington will "respond accordingly".