Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pushed back on Sunday against harsh US criticism of the conviction this week of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro on coup charges.

In his first public reaction to Bolsonaro's conviction, Lula wrote in a New York Times opinion column – addressed to US counterpart Donald Trump – that he was "proud" of the Supreme Court verdict, which "safeguards our institutions and the democratic rule of law."

"This was not a 'witch hunt'" as Trump and other US officials have called the trial, Lula wrote in a guest essay titled: "Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable."

Trump's ally Bolsonaro, 70, was convicted in a 4-1 decision of plotting a coup to overthrow leftist rival Lula following the far-right leader's October 2022 election defeat.

His lawyers have said they will appeal.

Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison, in a conviction Trump called "very surprising" and to which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Washington will "respond accordingly."

Trump has already slapped a 50-percent tariff on many Brazilian imports, citing the trial of Bolsonaro as well as various other issues which he claimed threatened the US economy, national security, and foreign policy.

The United States has also sanctioned the judge overseeing Bolsonaro's trial, Alexandre de Moraes, who has led a charge against disinformation in Brazil, sparking feuds with US tech giants.

Lula criticised Trump's tariffs as "not only misguided but illogical," given the United States' trade surplus with Brazil.

The lack of a logical economic rationale behind the tariffs, Lula added, "makes it clear that the motivation of the White House is political." (AFP)