President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he will tell US President Donald Trump at next week’s UN General Assembly to "not meddle" in Brazil's upcoming elections. Lula is scheduled to speak Tuesday in New York and could encounter Trump, who has voiced support for Lula’s rival, Flavio Bolsonaro. The diplomatic row follows two rounds of US tariffs in July and traces back to Washington’s first 2025 tariffs tied to Jair Bolsonaro’s trial.
Lula to Tell Trump at UN: "Don't Meddle" in Brazil's Election
Brazil's President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is warning his US counterpart not to meddle in next month's elections (Sergio Lima)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday he will use next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York to tell US President Donald Trump to "not to meddle in Brazil's elections." Lula is scheduled to speak on Tuesday and said he may briefly confront Trump if they cross paths at the annual gathering of world leaders.
Speaking at a campaign stop in Ceilândia, a working-class neighborhood in Brasilia, Lula said:
"I'm going to the UN meeting to have a conversation with Trump and tell him: don't meddle in the elections in Brazil."
Brazil's foreign ministry official Carlos Bicalho Cozendey said there is "no specific bilateral meeting" arranged between the two presidents, but added they "will probably cross paths at the Assembly," as they did last year.
The row between Brasilia and Washington has escalated recently. In July the United States imposed two fresh rounds of tariffs on Brazilian goods; Lula condemned the move as economic pressure aimed at influencing the vote. Those measures build on an earlier set of US tariffs introduced in 2025, which were linked to the trial of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro — an ally of Trump and the father of right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro — who was convicted of attempting a coup d'etat.
Why it matters: The exchange signals heightened international tensions ahead of Brazil's October election, with both diplomatic and economic tools now part of the dispute. A public confrontation at the UN could amplify the issue on the global stage and affect bilateral trade and political relations.
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