In a virtual summit with Brics leaders this Monday (8), Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused the United States of using unjustified and illegal tariff blackmail to pressure developing countries and interfere in their internal affairs.
The emergency summit, organized at Lula’s initiative, brought together heads of state and high-level representatives from the expanded Brics bloc, including China, Russia, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, the UAE, India, and Ethiopia. The 90-minute videoconference addressed mounting concerns over economic coercion from Western powers, particularly the resurgence of protectionist policies under the Trump administration.
Lula: ‘Tariff blackmail is being normalized’
During his speech, Lula condemned what he called a normalization of coercive trade practices by the U.S. “Tariff blackmail is being used as a tool to conquer markets and interfere in domestic matters,” he said. He also criticized the extraterritorial reach of sanctions, which he claimed are threatening the sovereignty of Brics nations.
“Secondary sanctions restrict our freedom to build trade with friendly countries. These measures put our institutions at risk,” the Brazilian president argued.
Lula emphasized that economic integration among Brics nations offers a “safe alternative” to mitigate the impacts of global protectionism. He noted that the bloc collectively accounts for 40% of global GDP, 26% of international trade, and nearly half the world’s population, creating fertile ground for a new development paradigm led by the Global South.
“Our countries have the legitimacy to lead a reform of the multilateral trade system based on modern, flexible rules tailored to our development needs,”Lula said. He also rejected the idea of a new Cold War, stating the Global South is capable of proposing alternative models of cooperation and growth.
Iran calls for a ‘joint Brics front against sanctions’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian supported Lula’s remarks and proposed that Brics countries form a unified strategy to counter Western sanctions.
“These measures not only harm the national interests of independent countries, but also disrupt global cooperation and hinder sustainable development,” Pezeshkian said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping echoed Lula’s call for multilateralism and denounced rising unilateralism and economic nationalism. In his remarks, Xi criticized the hegemonic behavior of major powers and advocated for stronger South-South cooperation as a cornerstone of global stability.
The Kremlin’s press service issued a statement confirming President Vladimir Putin also participated in the summit, discussing economic and financial cooperation within the bloc. While specific remarks from Putin were not detailed, the Russian government affirmed the leaders addressed investment, trade, and development cooperation amid global economic instability.
Brics expansion and new leadership
This summit marks a new phase of Brics coordination following its expansion in 2023, when six new countries — Argentina (which later withdrew), Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — were invited to join. The bloc now represents a significant alternative to Western-dominated institutions such as the G7 and World Trade Organization.
Lula’s call for a reformed global trade order reinforces Brazil’s renewed diplomatic posture in multilateral forums and its efforts to build strategic alliances across the Global South.
