Brazil’s Lula informs Trump he’s not ‘emperor of the world’

(MENAFN) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has strongly opposed US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a sweeping 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, pledging to respond firmly to protect his nation’s interests. In a CNN interview on Thursday, Lula expressed surprise not only at the tariff announcement itself but also at the way Trump communicated it—via a letter posted on Truth Social last week.

In that letter, Trump declared a blanket 50% tariff on all goods from Brazil starting August 1 and demanded an end to what he called a “witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces allegations of attempting a coup after his 2022 election loss.

“When I first read the letter, I thought it was fake news,” Lula said, criticizing the approach as a breach of diplomatic protocol and respect between heads of state. He stressed that Trump must remember he was elected to govern the US, not to act as the “emperor of the world.” Lula emphasized that Brazil would not accept any impositions but is open to negotiations.

While willing to engage in dialogue if Trump takes the talks seriously, Lula warned that Brazil is preparing a response should the tariffs take effect. Trump had cautioned that any Brazilian retaliation might trigger even higher tariffs.

Lula previously dismissed Trump’s accusations that Brazil is responsible for trade imbalances. The US president cited government data showing a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil over the last 15 years. Earlier this week, the US launched an investigation into Brazil’s trade practices, seeking to uncover any unfair advantages.

Trump has also threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on all BRICS countries, accusing the group of trying to undermine the dollar’s global dominance. Moreover, he warned that Russia’s trading partners could face secondary tariffs of up to 100% if the Ukraine conflict is not resolved within 50 days. If implemented, Brazil’s 50% tariff would be the highest US import duty announced so far.

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