Sao Paulo, May 5 -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plans to reaffirm national sovereignty and project international leadership during his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, as he navigates mounting domestic political challenges.

The meeting comes in the wake of an unprecedented setback for Lula's government, after the Senate rejected a nominee to the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The episode has intensified pressure on the administration and provided an opening for opposition forces to question the president's political strength.

Officials view Lula's international engagement as a strategic response to the domestic turbulence, aimed at repositioning him on the global stage while shifting focus away from inter...