Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defended his nation’s sovereignty and the prosecution of ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro during his U.N. speech Tuesday, a tacit rebuke of President Trump’s decision to hit the South American country with whopping tariffs.

Mr. Trump recently imposed a 50% levy on Brazilian goods that enter U.S. markets. He partly cited the country’s prosecution of Mr. Bolsonaro, a key ally.

Mr. Lula, before the General Assembly in New York, said Mr. Bolsonaro was investigated and “held accountable for his actions in a meticulous process.”

He also said Brazil wants to protect children when they use the internet — a response to Mr. Trump’s claim that it’s cracking down on speech with online regulations.

And Mr. Lula condemned attempts to meddle in Brazil’s affairs.

“Our sovereignty and our democracy are nonnegotiable,” he said.

Mr. Lula has said Mr. Trump’s tariffs are unjustified, though he remains open to negotiation.

In the U.S., Democratic senators and Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, are pushing a measure that would block Mr. Trump’s power to impose tariffs on Brazil.

They say Mr. Trump is seizing powers that rest with Congress and raising the cost of things like coffee, which can’t be grown at scale in the U.S.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Nov. 5 in a case in which the plaintiffs argue that Mr. Trump overstepped by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to impose tariffs on dozens of trading partners.

The administration says Mr. Trump acted lawfully and that striking down his tariff powers would force the U.S. to refund $750 billion to $1 trillion if the justices’ opinion doesn’t arrive until June.

Mr. Trump, also speaking at the U.N., boasted he’s landed “one historic trade deal after another” with countries such as the U.K., Japan and Indonesia.

He said tariffs generate massive revenue for the U.S. Treasury and gave him leverage in forging multiple peace deals.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.