Brazil's Lula Criticizes Trump, Says No Leader Should Impose Will on Other Countries

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has faulted U.S. President Donald Trump's handling of international relations, arguing that while Trump may lead his own country, he cannot dictate terms to others. Lula made the comments in an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in New York before the 81st United Nations General Assembly. 'President Trump was elected to be the US president. He has the right to govern. But he doesn't have the right to govern other countries,' Lula said. He added, 'He doesn't have the right to impose his will.' The Brazilian leader stressed that nations must honor one another's sovereignty and settle disputes through negotiation. Lula said Brazil is not looking to confront Washington, but expects respect for its sovereignty and national interests. 'We don't want to challenge the US; we just want to say that every country has their own sovereignty,' he said, adding that the United States should not force its rules on other nations. He also criticized what he called Trump's inclination to conduct international relations through strength and economic leverage. Lula said Trump's style amounts to: 'I'm stronger, I'm the mightiest, I'm the richest, I can do everything, and that all the others have to obey.' He described this as the law of the strongest and said he rejects it. Instead, Lula urged greater multilateral cooperation, saying international disputes should be handled collectively rather than left to powerful countries to decide. His remarks come as trade tensions persist between Brazil and the United States. Lula said Brazil is still open to negotiations with Washington and has not used its reciprocity law against U.S. tariffs while talks continue. Lula also repeated his opposition to foreign meddling in Brazil's domestic politics ahead of the country's 2026 presidential election. He said Brazilian voters should decide their political future without interference from the United States or any other foreign government. 'The Brazilian elections [are] the interest of the Brazilian people and the US elections [are] the interest of the American people,' he said. Lula noted concerns about possible interference but said there was, at that time, nothing concrete showing it had happened. Even with the disagreements, Lula said Brazil does not see itself as anti-American and highlighted the importance of the two countries' long-standing diplomatic ties. He said Brazil wants dialogue, negotiations and partnerships with the United States and other nations, but will oppose efforts to impose decisions on it from abroad.