Brazilian President Lula da Silva criticized recent actions by the United States and Argentina on Wednesday, stressing that no one from outside will meddle in Brazil’s October general elections.
The remarks came during a speech at a ceremony in Brasília for the PSB party, which formally confirmed current Vice President Geraldo Alckmin as Lula’s running mate for the October elections.
Lula directed pointed criticism at his American and Argentine counterparts, Donald Trump and Javier Milei. “As long as I’m president, no one from outside will interfere in Brazilian elections,” he declared.
Referring to Trump, Lula said he has no interest in waging an armed conflict with the American leader, preferring instead to defeat him in what he called a war of narratives. “He says he has the biggest plane in the world, the biggest atomic bomb in the world, the biggest army in the world. Do I want to fight him?” Lula asked. “I don’t want a fight. I want peace, and I want to beat them in the narrative. I want to wage the narrative war: who’s telling the truth and who’s telling lies,” he added.
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Lula also referenced Brazil’s decision last week to deny entry visas to two U.S. State Department officials, who he alleged had intended to come to Brazil to question the country’s electoral system. “We had to deny visas to two young men they sent to interfere in Brazilian elections. We denied the visa,” he said.
Brazilian authorities had denied visas to the two State Department officials, arguing that their visit could have been used to cast doubt on the reliability of Brazil’s electoral system. The U.S. State Department denied the accusation, characterizing the trip as routine. According to sources within the Lula administration who spoke with Lusa, the two American officials had intended to meet with Trump-backed presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
Relations between the White House and Brazil’s Planalto Palace have remained tense since last year, when Trump first announced tariffs against Brazil, authorizing additional tariffs on Brazilian products this month. On Wednesday, the U.S. also decided to extend its state of emergency against Brazil for another year, classifying the country as an unusual and extraordinary threat.
That declared state of emergency does not involve economic sanctions or additional tariffs on Brazil. In justifying the move, the U.S. accused Brazil’s Supreme Court of censoring free speech and accused members of the Brazilian government of politically persecuting former President Jair Bolsonaro, including his family and supporters.
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In his speech, Lula also said it wasn’t his place, as head of state, to respond directly to provocations from Argentine President Javier Milei, referring to him dismissively as “that thing.” Over the weekend, Milei had hurled insults at Lula during the ceremony formalizing Flávio Bolsonaro’s candidacy for the Brazilian presidency.
“I didn’t say anything, because my relationship is one of head of state to head of state, on behalf of the Argentine people. And I’m not going to keep exchanging things with that thing (…) there’s no point getting angry, because I won’t get angry. If the guy makes an ugly face, I’ll make a nice one. If the guy shows hatred, I’ll show love,” Lula said.
In a political gesture rejecting the Argentine leader’s remarks, the Brazilian government recalled its ambassador to Argentina to Brasília, without offering a timeline for when Júlio Bitelli would return to Buenos Aires.
