Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Saturday denounced the United States’ decision to revoke entry visas for Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, members of his family and several other Brazilian judicial officials who are overseeing the criminal case against former president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula called the measure “arbitrary” and “baseless,” saying foreign interference in Brazil’s judiciary violated principles of national sovereignty. Washington announced the restrictions on Friday, citing what it described as a politically-motivated "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup to overturn his 2022 election defeat. The move, authorised by President Donald Trump’s administration, affects at least eight of the Supreme Court’s 11 justices, among them Luis Roberto Barroso, Dias Toffoli and Flávio Dino, according to Government Institutional Relations Minister Gleisi Hoffmann. Solicitor General Jorge Messias said Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet was also targeted, warning that no “improper manoeuvre” would deter the courts from carrying out their constitutional duties. Lula echoed that stance, pledging that Brazil’s institutions would continue to “defend and uphold the democratic rule of law.” The diplomatic clash compounds already strained relations between Brasília and Washington. Trump has repeatedly criticised the Bolsonaro prosecution as a "witch hunt" and, in a separate letter last week, announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports effective 1 August. Bolsonaro denies orchestrating a coup but has acknowledged discussions aimed at reversing the 2022 result.