In a national network, Lula calls Trump allies “traitors” and denies unfair practices

In a statement in a national television network on Thursday night (17), President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) reacted to the threat of US President Donald Trump from imposing up to 50% tariffs on Brazilian products from August.

Lula classified the measure as an unacceptable blackmail, criticized the attempt to interference with Brazilian institutions and accused politicians of the opposition to act against the country’s interests.

“The attack on Brazil is supported by some Brazilian politicians. They are true traitors of the country,” said the president, in indirect reference to allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) who have been aligned with Trump in the commercial dispute.

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Lula also rejected US accusations about unfair trade practices and defended the country’s performance on topics such as environmental protection, digital justice and balance in international relations.

“Brazil will not accept impositions”

Lula said Brazil sought dialogue with the US since the beginning of the tensions and sent, in May, a negotiation proposal. According to him, the response from the White House came in the form of “threats to Brazilian institutions” and with “false information about trade between the two countries.”

The president pointed out that Brazil has accumulated commercial surplus favorable to the US for over 15 years and has countered criticism of digital and environmental regulation. “We have reduced the Amazon deforestation by half in two years and we are committed to zeroing it by 2030,” he said.

Lula also defended the PIX system, created by the Central Bank, which has been the subject of questions by parliamentarians linked to the far-right. “We will not accept attack on Pix, which is a heritage of our people,” he said.

Diplomatic response

In the speech, Lula reiterated that Brazil will continue to bet on multilateralism and good diplomatic relations, but has made it clear that it will use all available legal instruments if the 50% rate between in force. He cited, among the possibilities, resources to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the application of the Reciprocity Law, approved by the National Congress.

“There are no winners in tariff wars,” he said. “We are a country of peace, but no one should forget that Brazil has a single owner: the Brazilian people.”

Below is the full pronouncement:

My friends and my friends,

We were surprised last week by a letter from the US President announcing the taxation of Brazilian products at 50% from August 1. Brazil has always been open to dialogue. We had more than ten meetings with the US government and, on May 16, we submitted a negotiation proposal. We waited for an answer. What came was an unacceptable blackmail, with threats to Brazilian institutions and false information about trade between the two countries.

We have an independent judiciary. In Brazil, we respect due process of law, the principles of presumption of innocence, contradictory and broad defense. Trying to interfere with the Brazilian court is a serious attack on our national freedom. Only a sovereign homeland is able to generate jobs, combat inequalities, ensure health and education, promote sustainable development and create the opportunities that people need to grow in life.

The indignation is even greater because this attack on Brazil has the support of some Brazilian politicians. They are true traitors of the homeland. They bet the worse, the better. They do not care about the country’s economy and the damage caused to our people.

The defense of our sovereignty also applies to the performance of foreign digital platforms in Brazil. To operate in our country, all companies, national or foreign, are required to comply with the laws. In Brazil, no one is above the law. It is necessary to protect Brazilian families from individuals and organizations who use digital networks to promote scams and fraud, commit crimes of racism, encourage violence against women and attack democracy. These spaces also feed hatred, violence and bullying among children and adolescents, in some cases leading to death. There are also those who discredit vaccines, endangering the return of diseases that were already eradicated.

We are bringing together representatives from the productive sectors, civil society and the trade union movement. This is a great joint action that involves industry, trade, services, agricultural sector and workers. We are all together in defense of Brazil. It is the example of each Brazilian and each Brazilian who wakes up early, works, takes care of the family and helps the country grow.

We will continue to bet on good diplomatic and commercial relations, not only with the United States, but with all the countries of the world. The first victim of a world without rules is the truth. The allegations that Brazil practice unfair competition is false. The United States has accumulated, for over 15 years, a robust commercial surplus of $ 410 billion from Brazil. Today we are a world reference in the defense of the environment. In two years, we halved deforestation of the Amazon and are working to zero until 2030.

In addition, the pix is from Brazil. We will not accept any attack on Pix, which is a heritage of our people. We have one of the most advanced payment systems in the world and we will protect it.

When we assumed the Presidency of the Republic in 2023, we find an isolated Brazil from the world. In just two and a half years, our government has opened 379 new markets for Brazilian products abroad. We are building business partnerships with the European Union, Asia, Africa and our neighbors from Latin America and the Caribbean.

If necessary, we will use all legal instruments to defend our economy – from resources to the World Trade Organization to the reciprocity law approved by the National Congress.

There are no winners in tariff wars. We are a country of peace without enemies. We believe in multilateralism and cooperation between nations. But no one forgets: Brazil has a single owner – the Brazilian people.

Thank you very much.