Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has firmly responded to US President Donald Trump’s letter imposing a 50% tariff on Brazil. Da Silva stated that Brazil will invoke its new Economic Reciprocity Law to implement proportionate countermeasures against any unilateral tariff increases.
President Lula’s statement, made on social media, directly challenged Trump’s claims of a US trade deficit with Brazil, asserting them to be “inaccurate.” He cited statistics from the US government itself, which show a surplus of $410 billion in the trade of goods and services with Brazil over the past 15 years in favor of the United States. (It’s worth noting that data from the US government’s own sources for 2024 indicate a US goods trade surplus with Brazil of $7.4 billion, a 31.9% increase over 2023, and annual surpluses generally ranging from $4 billion to $20 billion since at least 2009. The $410 billion figure appears to encompass a broader period or different calculation method that Lula is referencing.)
Trump’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Brazil, effective August 1, is part of a broader move where he sent tariff letters to 22 countries. The letter to Brazil also notably included criticism of the ongoing trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Judicial Independence and Digital Sovereignty Asserted
Lula da Silva strongly rebuffed Trump’s comments on Bolsonaro’s trial and alleged censorship targeting American platforms, stating: “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.“
He emphasized that the judicial proceedings against those responsible for planning the alleged coup d’état fall “exclusively” under the jurisdiction of Brazil’s judicial branch and are not subject to “interference or threats” that could compromise the independence of national institutions.
Earlier, Trump had denounced Bolsonaro’s trial as “an international disgrace” on Truth Social, calling it a “Witch Hunt” that “should end IMMEDIATELY!” He praised Bolsonaro as “a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term” and stated he would be “watching the WITCH HUNT of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters, very closely.”
Bolsonaro and seven others have been indicted for an attempted coup after Brazil’s Supreme Court unanimously (five-to-zero vote) accepted charges against the former leader and his allies. The former president could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Bolsonaro has consistently denied the allegations, framing the trial as politically motivated.
On the issue of alleged censorship targeting American platforms, Lula da Silva asserted: “Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom.” He underscored that “In Brazil, freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices. All companies—whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory.”
