Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told United States President Donald Trump that he has no right to impose his will or govern other countries.
Lula made the remarks during an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour ahead of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to the Brazilian leader, Trump was elected to govern the United States and should respect the sovereignty of other nations.
“President Trump was elected to be the US president. He has the right to govern the US, but he doesn’t have the right to govern other countries,” Lula said.
“He doesn’t have the right to impose his will. He has to have the willingness to negotiate.”
Lula said Brazil does not want to confront the United States but wants a relationship based on mutual respect and negotiation.
He also criticised what he described as a “law of the strongest” approach to international relations, saying countries should strengthen multilateralism rather than allow powerful nations to dictate terms to others.
“We just want to say that every country has their own sovereignty. They take care of their own interests and the US cannot impose their rules over the others,” he said.
The Brazilian president also addressed tensions between Brasília and Washington over US tariffs on Brazilian goods.
Lula said Brazil was seeking negotiations with the US and did not want a trade war, while indicating that his government could consider reciprocal measures if talks failed.
He further urged the United States not to interfere in Brazil’s 2026 presidential election, saying domestic political matters should be decided by Brazilians.
Lula is in New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is scheduled to deliver the traditional opening address.
