by This week, President Trump defended former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is scheduled to go on trial for allegedly attempting a coup. He called the investigation into Mr. Bolsonaro a witch hunt, a term he has also used to portray himself as the victim of unfair prosecution.
Several times this week, Mr. Trump used the term to characterize the case against Mr. Bolsonaro. He even threatened to levy a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian exports in a letter to the country’s current leader. These were the most recent instances of Mr. Trump using the phrase to support right-wing and frequently populist governments overseas, especially those who are in legal hot water.
Here are four well-known foreign leaders that Mr. Trump has accused of being the targets of witch hunts this year.
Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil
Mr. Trump linked the former president’s legal issues to his own and called Mr. Bolsonaro a strong leader in a social media post. He declared that he will be closely monitoring the WITCH HUNT of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters.
In 2022, President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva defeated Mr. Bolsonaro in a close runoff election, ending his ambition for a second term.This year, he was accused of managing a massive plot to stay in power, which included plans to assassinate Mr. Lula, dissolve the courts, and abolish the judiciary.
Mr. Bolsonaro might spend up to 40 years behind bars if found guilty. The 70-year-old Mr. Bolsonaro has stated that the accusations are an attempt to stifle the opposition for political reasons. In part in reaction to the trial, Mr. Trump promised on Wednesday to put a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. Mr. Lula promised to pay back the tariffs in kind.
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