Brazilian President Lula da Silva vows response to US tariffs

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Brazil will respond to the 50% tariffs recently imposed by the United States on Brazilian goods.

According to Caliber.Az, Lula da Silva made the statement on the social media platform X, emphasising Brazil’s sovereignty and the independence of its institutions.

“In light of the public statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media on the afternoon of Wednesday (9), it is important to highlight the following: Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage,” he said.

“The judicial proceedings against those responsible for planning the coup d'état fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of Brazil´s Judicial Branch and, as such, are not subject to any interference or threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions.”

Addressing concerns over digital platforms, Lula stressed that “Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom.”

He added, “In Brazil, freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices. All companies—whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory.”

On trade issues, Lula disputed claims of a U.S. trade deficit with Brazil, stating, “The claim regarding a U.S. trade deficit in its commercial relationship with Brazil is inaccurate. Statistics from the U.S. government itself show a surplus of $410 billion in the trade of goods and services with Brazil over the past 15 years.”

He concluded, “Therefore, any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil's Economic Reciprocity Law. Sovereignty, respect and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world.”

By Vugar Khalilov