Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Saturday strongly criticized the United States' decision to impose visa bans on Brazilian officials involved in the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, calling the move "arbitrary and baseless" while rejecting what he termed "foreign interference" in Brazil's judiciary.

In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, President Lula stated: "I am certain that intimidation or threats from any quarter will not affect the most important duty of Brazilian authorities and institutions: defending and upholding democratic rule of law."

He added: "I express my solidarity and support for the Federal Supreme Court justices affected by yet another completely arbitrary and unfounded measure by the U.S. government," emphasizing that "one country's interference in another's judicial system is unacceptable and violates fundamental principles of respect and sovereignty among nations."

The U.S. State Department announced on Friday visa restrictions against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his family, and other court officials. These measures came in response to the Supreme Court's issuance of search warrants and restraining orders targeting Bolsonaro – a close ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump – who stands accused in Brazil of plotting a coup to overturn the results of the 2022 election after his defeat to President Lula.

(Translation note: Maintained formal diplomatic tone while ensuring clarity for international readers. Structured as a news report with contextual background. Would you like any stylistic adjustments?)