President said he was ‘quiet’ about the crisis and praised the work of ministers Geraldo Alckmin (development, industry, commerce and services) and Mauro Vieira (Foreign Relations)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) said on Monday (21) that Brazil is not in a tariff war with the United States. According to him, the relationship will scale to this point when he responds to the US president, if he “does not change his mind.” “We are not in a tariff war. It will start when I give a response to Trump, if he does not change his mind. The conditions that Trump imposed were not adequate conditions,” he said, that he has rejected the allegation of the US leader on commercial relations with Brazil.
Lula’s statements were made in a conversation with journalists in Santiago. The president went to the Chilean capital to meet with progressive heads of state at a meeting on the defense of democracy. According to the president, the crisis with the United States was not discussed because it is an internal problem. The president of the United States announced 50% rates to Brazil on July 9. The taxation will be valid in August. Meanwhile, the Brazilian government tries to negotiate and also evaluates retaliation measures, such as the end of medicines patents.
Lula said he was “quiet” regarding the crisis and praised the work of ministers Geraldo Alckmin (development, industry, commerce and services) and Mauro Vieira (Foreign Relations). The president also said that Brazilian entrepreneurs need to talk to Americans, as the productive sectors of both countries are harmed. The chief executive also expressed interest in having a conversation with Trump.
“Two heads of state need to talk and need to take into account the interests of their countries. I don’t think it’s bad for Trump to be defending the interests of the United States, but he has to take into account that I am defending the interests of Brazil,” said Lula.
Alongside presidents Gabriel Boric (Chile), Gustavo Petro (Colombia), Yamandú Orsi (Uruguay), as well as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Lula attended a high level meeting on defense of democracy. “Democracy is at risk with extremism, as it ran at the founding of the Nazi party and the rise of Hitler,” Lula told reporters after the schedules in Santiago. The president returns to Brasilia later this Monday (21).
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Carolina Ferreira