Lula hopes US under Trump will remain 'historical partner' of Brazil

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he hoped the United States would remain a "historical partner" of his country after Donald Trump's return to the White House Monday. 

"I hope that (Trump) has a successful administration and that the Americans continue to be the historical partner of Brazil," leftist leader Lula said at a ministerial meeting.

During his first term in office, Trump had been an ally of Lula's far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

Just this weekend, Bolsonaro said he hoped Trump — a man he calls his hero — would help him overcome his legal woes.

Bolsonaro, dubbed the "Tropical Trump" had hoped to attend the Republican's inauguration Monday but was blocked by the Brazilian Supreme Court, which cited a risk he might flee to escape an investigation into an alleged 2022 coup attempt after losing elections to Lula.

Lula said Monday Brazil does "not want conflicts, not with Venezuela, nor with the Americans, or with China, India, or Russia."