Itamaraty condemns US military and economic threats against Brazil

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned on Tuesday night, the 9th, the threat made by the United States government to use economic sanctions or military power against Brazil.

“The Brazilian government condemns the use of economic sanctions or threats of force against our democracy,” says the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first step to protecting freedom of expression "is precisely to defend democracy and respect the will of the people expressed at the ballot box." "This is the duty of the three branches of government, which will not be intimidated by any form of attack on our sovereignty," the statement continues.

The ministry also repudiated the “attempt by anti-democratic forces to use foreign governments to coerce national institutions.”

On Tuesday, the 9th, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, in response to a journalist who asked about the possibility of new sanctions on Brazil due to Bolsonaro's trial, replied: "I don't have any additional action to anticipate for you today, but I can say that this is a priority for the administration and the president is not afraid to use the economic power, the military power of the United States of America to protect freedom of expression around the world."

The statement came on the same day the Supreme Federal Court (STF) resumed the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro for attempted coup. Justices Alexandre de Moraes and Flávio Dino voted to convict the former president and the seven other defendants who form the core of the coup plot.

In his vote, Dino rejected any possibility of American pressure interfering with the Supreme Court's decision. "Do people believe that a tweet from a foreign government official will change a Supreme Court ruling? Will a credit card, or Mickey Mouse, change the Supreme Court's ruling?" he asked.

On Monday, the 8th, the United States Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy, Darren Beattie, had already said that the American government will continue to take “appropriate measures” against abuses of authority that harm fundamental freedoms.

The criminal case against Bolsonaro has been used by the Trump administration to impose a series of sanctions on Brazil and Brazilian officials. The former president's son, Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL), and influencer Paulo Figueiredo, maintain constant contact with American authorities to coordinate sanctions against the Supreme Court justices.

Since July, the US government has imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian exports, used the Magnitsky Act to sanction Moraes, and revoked his visas and those of seven other members of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), as well as the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet.