To make matters worse, the US President climbed the tone by stating that ‘any country that ally with BRICS anti -American policies will be charged with an additional 10%tariff’, as well as Bolsonaro’s defense
When he sold out the pen ink on the first day of government, signing 220 executive orders to act without depending on Congress, it made it clear that he would fulfill his promises with iron hand. Many analysts even said it was just initial pressure, a strategy to gain advantage. They soon realized it was not a bluff. The US president was really willing to take his bold plans ahead. Without fear of retaliation.
Now, repeats the pattern: aims at the countries of, block that tries to reduce the dependence of the dollar and gather emerging nations. In recent months, the group has been expanded with the entry of Argentina, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. But at the Rio meeting, the main leaders: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and the newly elected Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, did not attend. The political and symbolic void could not be more evident. The theses, however, are not limited to the attendance of this or that leader, there were important discussions about global health, climate change and artificial intelligence. But you can’t disguise, the absence of the most relevant leaders emptied the event.
Trump’s threat
To make matters worse, Trump climbed the tone. Through social networks, he said: “Any country that combines with BRICS anti -American policies will be charged with an additional 10%tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy.”
It’s not bravata. He has done it before. He imposed tariffs on China, threatened Mexico, pressured the European Union. A 10% increase can make agreements with the largest economy on the planet. Perhaps some make fiery speeches to please their followers, but in the end, everything can be just in the field of rhetoric.
Trump’s defense to Bolsonaro
And, taking advantage of his old bic’s little paint, Trump made a fierce defense of. Until recently, opponents mocked the ties of the former Brazilian president with the Republicans. They called their son zero three “bananinha”, “hamburgers frittor” and other derogatory nicknames. Now they find that ties can produce real effects.
Trump said, “I have watched, like everyone else, to persecution against him: day after day, night after night! He is not guilty of anything except having fought for the people. I met Jair Bolsonaro. He was a strong leader who loved his country, and a tough negotiator. Now leads the polls. This is just an attack on a political opponent.”
The history itself
And he compared with his own story: “I know what it is! It has happened to me ten times. And now our country is the ‘warmest’ in the world! The people of Brazil will not tolerate what they are doing with their former president. I will be closely following witch hunt against Bolsonaro, his family and his supporters. The only legitimate judgment is called election.” Wow. Neither Bolsonaro’s lawyers would speak so enthusiastically.
Lula tried to refute, using the dismissal, that figure of language in which the speaker says he won’t say, but says. The Brazilian president said: “Honestly, I don’t think I should comment. I do not consider it very responsible for the US president to be threatening the world over the internet. We are sovereign countries. If he thinks he can tax, countries also have this right. There is the law of reciprocity.” Yeah… imagine if he wanted to comment. And about Bolsonaro’s defense, it was straightforward: “This country has laws. It has rules. And there is an owner called Brazilian people. Therefore, they guess their lives – not ours.”
Perfect Storm
With the absence of Trump’s central leaders and the Bordades, the meeting in Rio was far below expected. Of course, geopolitical decisions do not always appear in headlines. Discrete negotiations, made behind the scenes, can yield future fruits. But except for miracle, BRICS tomorrow seems as empty as your gift.
Is the question: will group countries have the courage to face the United States? If any tries to play the hero and are penalized with tariffs, are they even able to react with reciprocity? And if you react, will the US cross your arms, or will come with even more sanctions?
There is no definitive answer. But certain international events, with their security apparatus, protocol speeches and astronomical costs, could yield further if they didn’t happen. Perhaps this was the case of this Brics in Rio: a lot of stage, little spectacle. Follow by
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the young Pan.
