The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday that his government will face “every attempt to impose a protectionism that fits no longer in this world” and that will adopt “all possible measures” against tariffs imposed by the United States to trade.
“We defend multilateralism and free trade,” Lula said in a busy act held in Brasilia, who brought together members of all the powers of the State, businessmen and civil society representatives for the presentation of a balance of the first two years of the mandate that began in January 2023.
In what was his first public pronouncement since this Wednesday the administration of Donald Trump formalized the imposition of tariffs on the products of countries around the world, which will be of 10% additional in the case of Brazil, Lula reiterated his rejection of these measures.
The Trump administration had implemented from March 12 tariffs of 25% to the imports of steel and aluminum, which directly affected Brazil, the second largest steel supplier in the United States.
“We will respond to every attempt to impose a protectionism that fits no longer in this world” and, “in the face of the decision of the United States, we will take all possible measures to defend companies and Brazilian workers,” he said.
During his recent visit to Japan, Lula made his position clear when Brazil cannot remain “still” in the face of Washington’s protectionist measures.
He also assured that the response to Trump’s tariffs will be given with the “reference” of A law approved this Wednesday in the Brazilian Parliament, which authorizes the adoption of reprisals for such cases, and also within the framework established by the norms of the International Trade Organization (WTO).
“The unilateral imposition of an additional rate of 10% on the argument of restoring balance and commercial reciprocity does not reflect reality,” said an official note of the Brazilian government.
The Executive added that it evaluates “all possibilities of action” to defend national interests, including a potential resource before the WTO.
It will also keep Open dialog channels with Washington to “reverse the announced measures and counteract its harmful effects. ”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, held a telephone conversation on Wednesday with the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, to address the situation.
The balance of the period 2023-2024 was presented at a time when the surveys say that support for Lula has fallen to about 40% of the presidential elections of 2026, although it has not yet decided if it will aspire to a new mandate.
In a statement, the Government highlighted the economic growth of the last two years (3.2% in 2023 and 3.4% in 2024), the lower unemployment rates in more than a decade (6.6%) and the increase in the minimum wage above an inflation that is now around 5% interannual.
He also stressed the promotion of projects for the energy transition and the expansion of the agricultural and industrial sectors, together with the opening of New markets for Brazilian exports.
Within this framework, he highlighted in particular the agreement reached after 25 years of negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Bolivia in the process of adhesion.
There was also a special mention to the strong reduction of illegal felling in the various biomes of the country and in particular in the Amazon, where devastation fell 46% in relation to 2022.
On the social level, the statement cited progress in the fight against hunger and misery, the recovery of popular housing and others in the areas of health, education and culture.