President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday (Aug. 6) that he will speak with representatives of BRICS countries about US tariffs on their products. In an interview with Reuters, he said he plans to call Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming days.
“I will try to discuss with them how each country is affected by the situation and what the implications are, so that we can make a decision,” said Lula, noting that BRICS includes several members of the G20, the group that brings together the world’s 20 largest economies.
In Brazil, 50 percent tariffs on certain exports to the United States came into effect on Wednesday (6). Also on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on products from India, arguing that the country directly or indirectly imports Russian oil.
Priorities
According to Lula, the Brazilian government’s priority at the moment is to help Brazilian companies find new markets for their products and preserve jobs.
Lula emphasized that there is currently no room for negotiations with Trump.
“I didn’t call because he doesn’t want to talk on the phone. I have no reason to call President Trump because, in the letters he sent and in his decisions, he never mentions negotiations. What he talks about are new threats,” said Lula.
Lula reaffirmed that he wants to do everything possible before “taking any further measures that would mean negotiations [with the United States] are over.”
“I am doing all this [negotiating] when I could announce a tax on American products. I’m not going to do that because I don’t want to behave like President Trump. I want to show that when one doesn’t want to, two don’t fight—and I don’t want to fight with the United States,” added Lula.
The president noted that Brazil received the tax announcement in an entirely authoritarian way.
“This is not how we’re used to negotiating,” he said.
Interference
President Lula said it is unacceptable for the US president to “meddle” in Brazil.
“This is not a minor intrusion; it is the president of the United States acting as if he can dictate rules to a sovereign country like Brazil. It is unacceptable for the United States or any other country, large or small, to interfere with our sovereignty,” he said.
“He should take care of the United States, and we will take care of Brazil. This country has only one owner—and only one owner who commands the president: the people, the people who elected him and the people who can remove him,” he added.
The president also cited excerpts from Trump’s decision criticizing Brazilian legislation targeting large American technology companies, known as big techs.
“This country is sovereign, it has a Constitution, it has legislation. It is our obligation to regulate whatever we want to regulate in accordance with the interests and culture of the Brazilian people. If you don’t want regulation, leave Brazil,” said Lula.
