NEW DELHI: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday (local time) warned of retaliation and condemned “tutelage” after United States President Donald Trump announced a steep 50 per cent tariff on “any and all” imports from Brazil. The move, widely seen as linked to Trump’s continued support for coup-accused former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, has triggered a diplomatic standoff between the two countries.Reacting strongly to Trump’s remarks and trade decision, Lula on X said, “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.” He added that “any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil’s Economic Reciprocity Law.”Lula also addressed the larger context of judicial independence and foreign interference in Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial. “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,” he wrote.The announcement came shortly after Brazil summoned the US ambassador in Brasília to protest a statement by the American embassy describing Bolsonaro as a victim of “political persecution.” Bolsonaro, who lost the 2022 presidential election to Lula, is on trial for allegedly plotting to remain in power after the defeat.President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly defended Bolsonaro, issued a fiery post earlier this week on his platform Truth Social: “LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE. They have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year!” Lula called this an unacceptable intrusion into Brazil’s internal affairs, stating firmly: “No one is above the law.”The 50 percent tariff on copper imports, effective August 1, is part of Trump’s broader strategy to rebuild America’s industrial base. In his announcement, he linked copper to national security and defence: “Copper is necessary for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even, Hypersonic Weapons, of which we are building many.”Calling copper the “second most used material by the Department of Defense,” Trump blamed past US leaders for weakening the sector and criticised the Biden administration’s policies as “thoughtless” and “stupid.” According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the administration has already collected $100 billion through tariffs and aims to reach $300 billion by December.In a letter to President Lula, Trump escalated the dispute, calling the Bolsonaro trial an “international disgrace” and warning of additional trade measures if Brazil retaliated. He also announced a formal review of Brazil’s trade practices. Although Trump has recently issued tariff threats to several US trade partners, Brazil had not been previously targeted. It is currently the second-largest exporter of steel to the United States, after Canada.
Lula, in his X post, also addressed Trump’s claim about the US trade deficit with Brazil, saying it was misleading. “The claim regarding a U.S. trade deficit in its commercial relationship with Brazil is inaccurate. 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,” he said.He further commented on foreign companies operating in Brazil: “All companies—whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory.” He warned that “freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices,” especially in the context of digital platforms and content moderation.The diplomatic tension also played out at the BRICS summit hosted by Brazil this week, where member nations criticised Trump’s tariff moves and US military actions in Iran. Trump responded by threatening an additional 10 percent tariff on all BRICS-aligned countries, accusing them of launching “insidious attacks on Free Elections.”On Wednesday, the US embassy in Brasília reinforced Trump’s position, stating: “Jair Bolsonaro and his family have been strong partners of the United States. The political persecution against him, his family, and his followers is shameful and disrespects Brazil’s democratic traditions.”Despite being barred from contesting future elections due to spreading falsehoods about Brazil’s electoral system, Bolsonaro remains a central figure in the country’s politics. He thanked Trump for standing up for “peace, justice and liberty.” Trump, in turn, claimed Bolsonaro remains the frontrunner for Brazil’s next election — a race he legally cannot enter as of now.As the cases around both Bolsonaro and Trump unfold in parallel, the escalating rhetoric and retaliatory economic threats between the US and Brazil are drawing global attention. Lula concluded his X post with a broader message: “Sovereignty, respect and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world.”
