Lula calls on Trump to stay out of Brazil's elections: 'Don't meddle'

In the Al Jazeera interview, Lula said: "The Brazilian people know how to cast their own vote, we do not need lessons from Washington." Referring to Trump's recent social-media posts favourable to the political bloc that backed Bolsonaro, Lula said such messages "violate the rules of good neighbourliness."

No formal response had come from the White House at the time of publication. The coup-attempt trial in which Bolsonaro is the lead defendant begins next month. People close to the former president and lawmakers aligned with him view Trump's statements as part of a strategy to internationalise the case.

Lula also said Brazil remained open to parallel economic talks with the Trump administration on shoring up IMF reserves, but insisted domestic politics must remain off-limits. Diplomatic sources said Brasília was weighing the temporary recall of its Washington ambassador for consultations.