President defended sovereignty of the country and said that Trump’s allegation of what taxation would be applied due to a trade balance deficit with Brazil is false
The president said on Wednesday (9) that the exported to will be answered with the economic reciprocity law. On social network, President Lula defended the sovereignty of the country and said that the allegation of the US president is false that the taxation would be applied due to a commercial balance deficit with Brazil. The Brazilian law sanctioned in April establishes criteria for the suspension of commercial concessions, investments and obligations related to intellectual property rights in response to unilateral measures adopted by a country or economic bloc that negatively impact Brazilian international competitiveness.
“In this sense, any measure of unilateral tariff elevation will be answered in the light of the Brazilian Law of Economic Reciprocity. Sovereignty, respect and uncompromising defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world,” said the president. The law authorizes the Executive Power, in coordination with the private sector, “to adopt contracted in the form of restriction on imports of goods and services or suspension of commercial concessions, investment and obligations related to intellectual property rights and measures to suspend other obligations provided for in any commercial agreement in the country”.
The government argues that information about the alleged American deficit is false. “The statistics of the United States government itself prove a surplus of this country in the trade of goods and services with Brazil of the order of $ 410 billion over the last 15 years.” “With independent institutions that will not accept to be protected by anyone.”
In the document sent by Trump to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the US president cites former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is a defendant in the Supreme Court (STF) for attempted coup d’état, to justify the attack on the country. He also cited STF orders issued against supporters of the former Brazilian president who holds residence in the United States. “The judicial process against those who planned the coup d’état is of jurisdiction only of the Brazilian justice and, therefore, is not subject to any kind of interference or threat that makes the independence of national institutions,” said Lula.
The Brazilian president also addressed Trump’s criticism of the Federal Supreme Court’s decisions against social networks that practiced hate speech and disseminated fake news. The president stated that, “in the context of digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects content of hatred, racism, child pornography, blows, fraud, speeches against human rights and democratic freedom.”
“In Brazil, freedom of expression is not confused with aggression or violent practices. To operate in our country, all national and foreign companies are subject to Brazilian law,” he wrote. Before publishing the note, President Lula coordinated an emergency meeting at the Planalto Palace, with the presence of his main ministers, such as Fernando Haddad (Fazenda), Mauro Vieira (International Relations), Rui Costa (House Civil) and Sidônio Palmeira (Secom), as well as Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry and Commerce, Geraldo Alckmin. The meeting ended around 8 pm.
*With information from Agência Brasil
