A Brazilian paper has published a piece criticizing China for trying to stop Brazilian lawmakers from discussing President Tsai’s inauguration. The op-ed piece appeared in the online Brazilian newspaper Gazeta do Povo on Tuesday.
President Tsai began her second term after an inauguration ceremony on May 20. According to the op-ed, China’s embassy in Brazil sent a letter to Brazilian lawmakers in the days leading up to Tsai’s inauguration, telling them that they should avoid actions or gestures including sending congratulatory messages to Tsai.
In response, Brazilian lawmaker Paulo Eduardo Martins took to Twitter, calling the letter’s request to keep quiet about the inauguration an insult and issuing his own congratulations to Tsai.
The op-ed’s author wrote that Beijing’s overbearing and aggressive stance has earned condemnation from countries around the world.