Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador criticized the criminal charges against former President Donald Trump, suggesting they are political.
“Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes,” López Obrador said at a press conference. “That’s why I don’t agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump. It should be the people who decide.”
López Obrador continued by saying the charges against Trump are a “fabrication,” saying that he has also experienced attempts by the ruling class to prevent him from obtaining political office.
“I say this because I too have suffered from the fabrication of a crime, when they didn’t want me to run,” he said. “And this is completely anti-democratic…. Why not allow the people to decide?”
Several foreign leaders joined López Obrador in condemning the indictment, offering their support to Trump.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele argued that bringing charges against the political opposition’s leader “undermines” American arguments regarding democracy.
Sadly, it’ll be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as “democracy” and “free and fair elections”, or try to condemn “political persecution” in other countries, from now on 🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/HQTv0vUuA2
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 31, 2023
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered his support for Trump, saying, “[k]eep on fighting, Mr. President! We are with you,” including a photo of the two shaking hands.
Keep on fighting, Mr. President! We are with you, @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/EZFMYHDRzl
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) April 3, 2023
The Biden administration refused to talk about the arraignment of Trump. President Joe Biden told Fox News he had “no comment” on the issue. Biden, however, when asked by reporters about it, laughed.
Trump was formally arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse, pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The judge overseeing the case, Juan Merhcan, has a daughter that worked for Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign.
The case relates to “hush money” payments Trump allegedly made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump, alleging that the former president “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”
Bragg, a Democrat, received campaign funds from liberal billionaire George Soros during his run for district attorney.
In the 2020 election, New York County overwhelmingly voted for then-candidate Biden. More than 85% of residents voted for Biden, while less than 13% voted for Trump.
New York County comprises several cities, such as Harlem, Manhattan, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Sugar Hill. Trump’s case is taking place in Manhattan.
Trump suggested moving his case out of Manhattan to Staten Island, where he won 57% of the vote in 2020, while Biden received 42%.
“VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT VOTED 1% REPUBLICAN. THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND – WOULD BE A VERY FAIR AND SECURE LOCATION FOR THE TRIAL. ADDITIONALLY, THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE & HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS,” Trump said.
The entire system is rigged!
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) April 4, 2023
It is unlikely Trump will receive a fair trial in Manhattan, a city that overwhelmingly voted against him in 2020. The case against him is purely political.
