Brazil’s foreign ministry has asked the highest representative of the US government in Brasilia to explain an embassy statement echoing President Donald Trump’s claims that former leader Jair Bolsonaro is facing political persecution,

Brazil is set to summon the U.S. embassy's chargé d'affaires after the diplomatic entity backed ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro. This comes as Trump, via social media, labeled Bolsonaro's trial for an alleged coup plot a 'witch hunt.

US President Donald Trump has urged Brazilian authorities to end their prosecution of the country's former President Jair Bolsonaro, accusing them of carrying out a "WITCH HUNT".