Brazil’s Attorney General Jorge Messias has warned that foreign interference in the country’s democratic institutions will "not be tolerated". His warning came after a report alleged that the Trump administration was seeking to direct US government funds toward groups campaigning against Brazil’s Supreme Court. Messias made the comments on Thursday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He described the report as an "important alert for Brazilian sovereignty". “The information is especially serious in light of Brazil’s electoral process and the recent episodes of external pressure on our institutions,” Messias added.

Brazil Raises Alarm Over US Funding Report

The controversy comes just days before Brazil’s presidential election. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces far-right rival Flávio Bolsonaro in the race. According to Brazilian television network GloboNews, the Attorney General’s Office filed a criminal complaint on Thursday. The complaint seeks an investigation into possible wrongdoing linked to the report published by The Guardian. The report claimed that the Trump administration was seeking to redirect more than $175 million from a US State Department human rights fund. Some of the proposed grants would support groups involved in political campaigns and causes linked to Brazil.

Allegations of Pressure on Brazil

Washington and Brasília have faced growing tensions in recent months. The Trump administration has used tariffs and sanctions as part of its pressure campaign against Lula’s government and Brazil’s Supreme Court. The dispute also involves the legal case against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Trump previously called Bolsonaro’s prosecution a “witch-hunt”. Brazilian authorities later convicted Bolsonaro and sentenced him to 27 years in prison for attempting to seize power after losing the 2022 election to Lula.

Messias Defends Brazil’s Sovereignty

Messias said governments often disagree. He said such disagreements form part of normal international relations. However, he said foreign political interests should not interfere with Brazil’s institutions. "Disagreements between governments are inherent to international relations. What cannot be tolerated is for foreign political interests to seek to interfere in the functioning of Brazilian institutions or to influence, directly or indirectly, choices that belong exclusively to the Brazilian people," Messias said. He also stressed that Brazilians must decide the country’s political future. “It is the right of each generation of Brazilians to freely decide their destiny, protect their institutions, and hand over to their children a country that does not accept decisions about Brazil being made outside of Brazil. Our democracy belongs to Brazilians. And so it must remain," he added.

Proposed Grant Targets Brazil’s Supreme Court

The Guardian report claimed that the Trump administration planned to direct more than $175 million from the State Department’s flagship human rights fund to several programmes. The reported plans included a $40 million grant for an anti-communism fund. They also included support for a group promoting white Afrikaner rights in South Africa. Another proposed programme focused on Brazil’s Supreme Court. A $1 million grant titled “Countering lawfare and censorship in Brazil” would support civil society groups that oppose what they describe as judicial overreach and censorship by the court.

Bolsonaro Movement Opposes Supreme Court

Brazil’s Supreme Court has become a major target of criticism from Bolsonaro’s far-right political movement. Justice Alexandre de Moraes has drawn particular criticism. He oversaw key proceedings involving Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro’s supporters have accused the court of exceeding its authority. Brazilian authorities have defended the judicial process and the role of the court. The proposed US grant has therefore attracted attention in Brazil. Critics could view the funding as an attempt to support groups challenging the country’s judicial institutions.

Election Adds to Tensions

The allegations come at a highly sensitive political moment. Brazil is preparing for a presidential election that has placed Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro at the centre of a closely contested political battle. Messias has linked the reported funding plans to concerns over Brazil’s sovereignty and the independence of its institutions. The criminal complaint will now seek to establish whether any foreign funding involved an unlawful attempt to influence Brazil’s political process or interfere with its democratic institutions.