Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has strongly criticized newly proposed US tariffs, stating he could not accept the treatment his country had received. The rebuke came after the US administration of President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on certain Brazilian imports, appearing to reverse a recent thaw in relations.
Lula said he had left a May meeting at the White House with Trump optimistic that ties were improving. However, during Trump's second term, the two leaders have clashed over trade, human rights, and politics. Lula, a longtime leftist, emerged as a key critic of Trump's aggressive approach to Latin America, including the January 3 attack on Venezuela and increased US military presence in the Caribbean.
Trump, meanwhile, has accused the Brazilian government of censoring right-wing voices and has close ties to former President Jair Bolsonaro and his family. Last year, after Bolsonaro was convicted and sentenced to 27 years for attempting to subvert Brazil's democracy, Trump imposed several rounds of tariffs on Brazil, reaching 50% on many goods.
On Wednesday, Lula expressed surprise at the new tariffs, noting that US-Brazil trade talks were ongoing. He said Brazil still wants institutional relations with the US but would seek other trade partners if necessary. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the tariff proposal follows an investigation into alleged unfair trade practices, including illegal deforestation and ethanol market access.
Greer also cited a 'giant' trade deficit between the US and Brazil, but public data shows the US actually has a trade surplus with Brazil. Experts suggest the Trump administration is pursuing a new tariff strategy after the Supreme Court struck down sweeping global tariffs in February. The new tariffs are imposed under Section 301 of US trade policy.
The latest tariffs will be subject to a public comment period ending in early July. Key Brazilian exports such as beef, coffee, rare earths, and aircraft parts are exempt. The tariff proposal comes as Lula faces a tight re-election race in November against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, Bolsonaro's eldest son.
Source: www.aljazeera.com