Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned on Wednesday that his authorities is ready to retaliate after President Trump introduced plans to impose 50 % tariffs on items imported from his nation.
In an announcement posted to the social platform X, the Brazilian chief pushed again on “inaccurate” claims of a U.S. commerce deficit in its business relationship with Brazil, saying, “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.”
“Therefore, any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil’s Economic Reciprocity Law,” Lula continued within the assertion.
“Sovereignty, respect and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world,” he added.
The Financial Reciprocity Regulation was signed into regulation on April 14, shortly after Trump introduced his sweeping tariffs on quite a few nations. The federal government cited Trump’s tariffs because the impetus for the regulation.
The regulation authorizes the legislative department to “adopt countermeasures in the form of restrictions to the importation of goods and services or measures to suspend concessions in the areas of trade, investments, and obligations related to intellectual property rights, as well as measures to suspend other obligations foreseen in any of the country’s trade agreements.”
Lula’s assertion comes after Trump introduced on Wednesday the 50 % tariff on all items from Brazil, citing the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged plot to stay in energy after dropping an election.
Trump, who has criticized Brazil’s therapy of Bolsonaro in latest days, stated in a letter to Lula that the brand new tariffs would take impact on Aug. 1 and are “due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans.”
Trump additionally cited Brazil’s “Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers.”
“The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote within the letter, which was posted to the president’s Fact Social platform.
Lula, in his assertion late Wednesday, defended the independence of his nation’s establishments, saying, “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.”
“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,” Lula continued.
Lula additionally warned that digital corporations should reject “hateful content” and anti-democratic speech on their platforms in the event that they need to proceed working in Brazil.
“In the context of digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom,” he wrote.
“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.”
