Haddad rules out control of dividends to the US; Planalto studies measure

Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Saturday (19) that the government does not plan to adopt more rigid dividend control measures as retaliation for the United States if bilateral negotiations on the 50% surcharge applied to Brazilian products from August 1 do not advance.

Despite Haddad’s negative, the Estadão/Broadcast He learned to ministers and people close to the negotiations that a more rigorous inspection of the remittances of dividends by American multinationals installed in Brazil is among the possibilities in analysis.

However, there are disagreements in the Interministerial Committee responsible for negotiations about what the tone of response to the US government should be if conversations do not thrive.

“The Brazilian government does not consider this measure,” Haddad told Estadão/Broadcast. For members of the economic team, the understanding prevails that companies cannot be punished by a strictly political movement. In practice, the farm fears that such a response remove investments.

On the other hand, a government wing understands that President Donald Trump cannot be accepted without President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to show firmness in defending national sovereignty.

The Planalto Palace already expects even harder measures against Brazil by the US after the Federal Police operation that hit Jair Bolsonaro (PL) on Friday (18), forcing the former president to wear an electronic anklet.

The Interministerial Committee that discusses the tariff is coordinated by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who also runs the Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce.

On Friday night, Alckmin stated that the decision of the Supreme Court (STF) Minister Alexandre de Moraes about Bolsonaro “cannot and should not” affect trade negotiations. “The separation of powers is the base of the state, both in Brazil and in the United States. Powers are independent. There is no relationship between a political or legal issue and the tariff,” said the vice president.

At this time, the government makes a diagnosis of the relationship with the United States, understanding that the US movement is exclusively political and lacks economic foundations.

On Friday night, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on social networks the revocation of the American visas of STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes, his family members and their “allies” in the court. Then seven other STF ministers also had their visas canceled.

In practice, the Planalto was already evaluating several reaction possibilities even before this episode, if Trump maintains the 50% surcharge on Brazilian products from August 1 or adopt even harder measures.

The Federal Police operation involving Bolsonaro was authorized by Moraes-and confirmed by the First Class of the Supreme Court-a day after Trump sends a letter to Brazil asking the “persecution” against the former president to cease immediately.

The rectalization arsenal that Brazil can use against the US includes, first of all, the breaking of medicines patents, as anticipated by the Estadão/Broadcast.

However, the government’s priority is to exhaust the diplomatic route and bring negotiations to the limit. A firmer reaction may be adopted from August 2 if there is no agreement.

The options are being analyzed by Planalto after technical evaluation, but everything remains open until Brazil sees the need to announce a response to sanctions, such as the opening of investigations into commercial practices in the country.