Ankara: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday called new American trade barriers "unfair" and politically driven, asserting that the US is attempting to justify the measures through unfounded allegations.
According to Anadolu Agency, Lula wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Post that he was surprised by the publication, a year prior, of a letter from President Donald Trump imposing a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods. He noted that the initial correspondence explicitly referenced former President Jair Bolsonaro, confirming the "political motivation" behind the escalating trade friction. Recently, Washington implemented additional tariffs ranging from 12.5% to 37.5% on various Brazilian products.
Lula pointed out the economic irony of the measures, highlighting that the US has maintained a trade surplus with Brazil totaling $428 billion over 15 years. He warned that the current policy is forcing a market shift, noting that while bilateral trade with the US declined by 12.8%, Brazil's trade with China and the European Union grew by 15.9% and 6.1%, respectively, when comparing the first six months of 2025 and 2026.
The Brazilian leader rejected US claims that Brazil's policies on digital trade, environmental protection, and intellectual property are null. He defended Brazil's "PIX" payment system as an international benchmark that does not discriminate against American firms. On social media regulation, Lula emphasized that freedom of expression does not equate to a free pass for criminal activity, asserting Brazil's commitment to protecting families from the influence of tech oligarchs.
Lula also addressed environmental concerns, asserting that since 2023, his administration has significantly reduced deforestation across all biomes. He criticized the US for adopting an outdated approach to Latin America, stating that the region needs reliable partners rather than military interventions or punitive tariffs.
The diplomatic tensions follow the formal nomination of Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, an ally of the US president, as a presidential candidate for Brazil's upcoming election. Brazil has recently denied visas to two US State Department officials who intended to visit for talks with election authorities ahead of the October election.