Brazil's Lula Says No to Tariff Talks with Trump, Citing Respect

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has made it clear he won’t sit down with U.S. President Donald Trump to negotiate tariffs, saying it would feel like groveling.

His comments come after the U.S. slapped a hefty 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, one of the toughest moves in Trump’s ongoing trade battles, announced on Wednesday.

Speaking from his presidential residence, Lula stressed that Brazil deserves respect and won’t bow to pressure.

Lula took issue with Trump’s approach, pointing to how the U.S. leader has publicly called out other world leaders, like Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

“One president can’t be humiliating another. I respect everyone and demand respect,” Lula said. 

• Brazil’s Lula Rejects Tariff Talks with Trump, Demands Mutual Respect
• Lula Slams U.S. Tariffs, Vows to Defend Brazil’s Economy and Sovereignty
• Brazil Eyes WTO Action as Lula Refuses to Bow to Trump’s Trade Pressure

He also brushed off Trump’s push to stop Brazil from prosecuting former President Jair Bolsonaro, who’s facing trial for allegedly trying to overturn the 2022 election. Lula called Bolsonaro a “traitor” for egging on Trump’s interference, recalling the U.S. role in Brazil’s 1964 coup.

Despite the tariffs hitting Brazil’s economy, the largest in Latin America, Lula is confident the country can weather the storm, thanks to strong trade ties with China and other BRICS nations. He plans to team up with leaders from India and China to figure out a response and is considering a joint complaint at the World Trade Organization. At home, his government is rolling out support like credit lines to help Brazilian businesses cope with the tariffs’ impact.

Also Read: Kyrgyzstan's New Media Law Raises Fears for Free Speech

Lula isn’t rushing to hit back with tariffs on U.S. goods but said his team is looking into fair taxes on American companies, especially big tech. He also announced a new policy to treat Brazil’s mineral resources as a matter of national pride, focusing on processing them locally to boost the economy. While Lula’s open to future talks, maybe at U.N. or climate meetings, he’s wary. “I was born negotiating,” he said, “my intuition says [Trump] doesn’t want to talk.”