Lula’s remarks came as President Trump asserted U.S. power in Latin America in his United Nations speech.
Published September 22, 2026
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly to defend Brazil’s sovereignty more broadly amid tensions with the United States, warning against attempts to interfere in Brazil’s upcoming elections.
Speaking in New York on Tuesday, Lula said Brazil’s government will not allow domestic and foreign actors to undermine the October 4 vote, which will see him seek a fourth non-consecutive term.
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“Brazilian democracy belongs to the Brazilian people,” Lula said near the end of his speech. “Brazil remains a sovereign nation.”
The warning followed several explicit references to Brazil’s increasingly strained relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump, although Lula did not mention Trump by name.
Lula opened his speech by saying that Latin America was facing a resurgence of “hegemonic ambition” and foreign interference in elections.
“Brazil does not belong in anyone’s backyard,” he said, adding that attempts to divide the world into spheres of influence were “anachronistic.”
The comments came after Lula accused the Trump administration of trying to influence Brazil’s elections through economic pressure. The U.S. government imposed two new tariffs on Brazilian goods in July, and Lula said last week that he would directly tell President Trump, an ally of his chief rival, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, not to interfere in the vote. Bolsonaro is the son of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil has so far refrained from retaliating against the United States while trade negotiations continue, but Lula said in an interview with CNN on Monday that it could still invoke reciprocity laws if negotiations break down.
“The United Nations is failing”
Beyond relations between Brazil and the United States, Lula offered a sweeping critique of the international system, telling world leaders that the United Nations was facing its most critical moment since he first addressed the General Assembly in 2003.
“What drives me today is anger,” Lula said, arguing that the United Nations has failed to prevent war and that its credibility is “lower than ever.”
He blamed much of the paralysis on the UN Security Council and its use of veto power, and called for a meeting of UN Security Council leaders at a time when the number of armed conflicts worldwide was increasing.
Lula also used the speech to warn of new “hegemonic ambitions” and foreign interference in elections across Latin America, arguing that ideological differences should not stand in the way of greater regional integration.
He also said Brazil would not outsource its responsibility to protect its borders and combat organized crime, calling instead for greater international cooperation to stem the flow of arms and illicit funds.
“We don’t need aircraft carriers to monitor our waters,” Lula said. “We need cooperation to stop the flow of weapons and funds that fuel crime.”
The comments came as President Trump was expected to use his U.N. address on Tuesday to assert U.S. power in the region. Excerpts of his speech released by the White House included a statement that Washington would use “unparalleled military power” if necessary to protect U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere.
