Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has stated that Brazil is open to trade discussions with the United States, but only if Brazil is treated as an equal partner. Lula emphasised that he would not succumb to political pressure from the US president. He made these remarks at a Workers’ Party event in Brasilia, reinforcing his commitment to fair negotiations.
“We want to negotiate. We want to negotiate on equal terms,” Lula said. “We will support our companies, defend our workers, and say, ‘Look, when you’re ready to negotiate, our proposals are on the table.’”
In July, former US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods unless the Supreme Court dropped a case against former President Jair Bolsonaro. The US subsequently delayed the tariff hike, initially set for August 1, and exempted several products from the higher levies. However, sanctions were imposed on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro’s legal cases.
Trump recently suggested that Lula could contact him, a sentiment that Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad welcomed as a positive development. Haddad also mentioned his plans to discuss tariffs and the sanctions against Moraes with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the near future, signalling a potential path towards resolving the trade tensions.
