On the 26th local time, The Washington Post in the United States published an article signed by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula. The article stated that the US imposition of additional tariffs on Brazil is a "strategic mistake".
Lula said that this month, the United States ignored the dozens of meetings between the two teams, solid technical arguments, and the documents he personally handed to Trump, and imposed new tariffs of 12.5% to 37.5% on Brazilian goods.
Lula cited data from the independent organization 'Global Trade Alert' stating that 'Brazil and Turkey have now become the second and third countries targeted by US tariffs, after China. Although the US maintains a trade surplus with Brazil in goods and services, this surplus has amounted to $428 billion over the past 15 years.'
Lula said that the new tariffs are not only unfair, but also a strategic mistake that will harm the U.S. economy and its partnership with Brazil. Many American industrial sectors rely on Brazilian raw materials. Additionally, for American consumers, products such as food, footwear, textiles, furniture, and automotive parts will become more expensive.
Additionally, tariffs will disrupt the currently deeply integrated supply chains. Brazilian companies will replace American suppliers with partners from other regions.
Regarding bilateral relations, Lula said that he and Trump lead "the two largest democratic countries and economies in the Americas." They do not need to share the same worldview in order to pursue mutually beneficial relationships.
Lula expresses that, despite the long history of US political and military interference in Latin America and the Caribbean, there was a time when it proved to be a partner in line with Brazil's interests. "We are always prepared to continue having open and constructive dialogues."
Recently, the United States has been imposing tariff pressures on Brazil.
On the 23rd, the U.S. Trade Representative Office announced that it would impose tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on dozens of countries and regions under Article 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, in an attempt to replace the global import tariffs that are about to expire. The new tariffs will take effect on July 24, Eastern Time. Previously, the U.S. Trade Representative Office announced that it would impose an additional 25% tariff on certain Brazilian products starting from July 22.
In response, the Brazilian government issued a statement opposing the US imposition of a 12.5% tariff on Brazil, citing the so-called “forced labor” as a reason. The Brazilian side will immediately initiate relevant procedures to protect its national interests.
