Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said the United States would "respond accordingly to this witch hunt" after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election.

"The political persecutions by sanctioned human rights abuser Alexandre de Moraes continue, as he and others on Brazil's supreme court have unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro," Rubio wrote on X.

"The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt," he said.