Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has denounced US visa sanctions on judges in the coup case against former leader Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing ally of President Donald Trump.
"My solidarity and support go to the justices of the Supreme Federal Court, who have been affected by yet another arbitrary and completely baseless measure by the United States government," Lula said in a statement posted on X on Saturday.
"The interference of one country in another's justice system is unacceptable and violates the basic principles of respect and sovereignty between nations."
Bolsonaro is on trial for allegedly seeking to stay in power by overturning the 2022 election won by Lula.
Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes ruled on Friday that Bolsonaro must wear an electronic monitoring device, stay home at night and stay off social media as he awaits a verdict.
Hours later, the United States revoked the visa for Moraes and his "allies" on the court, as well as their immediate family members. 
"Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil's shores to target Americans," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.
'Hostile acts'
Moraes, one of the judges in Bolsonaro's trial for allegedly seeking to nullify Lula's election victory, said the restrictions were necessary given the "hostile acts" against Brazil by the accused and his son and former politician, Eduardo Bolsonaro.
He said in a ruling on Saturday that Eduardo Bolsonaro "intensified the illicit conduct... through various posts and attacks on the Federal Supreme Court on social media" in reaction to Friday's ruling.
Trump has criticised the proceedings against Bolsonaro as a "witch hunt", a term he has used to describe his own treatment by political opponents, and has called for the charges to be dropped.
In a letter last week, he announced a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1, opening the message with criticism of the trial.
Moraes cited a Facebook post in which the younger Bolsonaro called the judge "a gangster in robes."
 
Both Trump and Bolsonaro have claimed to be victims of political persecution, and the former frequently verbally attacks judges at home over their rulings.
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Source: TRT