The mayor of Recife and president of PSB, João Campos, criticized this Friday (25), during the Expert XP 2025the letter sent by Donald Trump to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) justifying the 50% rate of Brazilian products. For Campos, the measure breaks with historical standards of relationship between the two countries and imposes a direct cost to the national economy, especially the agro -export sector.
“This is not a normal measure. If we think it is normal what is happening, something in us is wrong,” he said.
The mayor pointed out that the United States have had a business relationship with Brazil for over 200 years, with a consistent surplus in favor of Americans. “The big difference is that this motivation is written and signed by the president, directly attacking political institutions and opponents from another country.”
“Imagine if it was the opposite”
The PSB president drew attention to the unprecedented character of the American letter and proposed a scenario reversal as an exercise of reflection. “Imagine if it was the Brazilian president by writing a letter to the US President saying that he will only have relationships if the Supreme Court from there revokes Trump’s conviction. That would be unacceptable. And that’s exactly what they are doing with us.”
For Campos, the moment requires serenity and focus on diplomacy, without feeding ideological agendas. “Negotiating is the only way out. There is no way to normalize a gesture like this, let alone politicize it internally. This is a problem that affects real Brazil-that of the countryside, employment and production,” he said.
Northeast Exports
João Campos warned of the concrete effects of the tariff on the Brazilian trade balance and cited as an example the impact on the export of fruit of the São Francisco Valley, which occurs in the months when the American market is the main destination.
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“For three months of the year, more than 3,000 mango containers are exported to the United States. There is a real chance of part of this production is lost. The price falls, the surplus enters the local market, but the damage is already done. The biggest impact goes to the producer, for employment, for the income of the northeastern people,” he said.
Campos also mentioned the producers of Espírito Santo, citing Governor Renato Casagrande as one of the affected. “Who will pay this bill is the Pernambuco producer, the Espírito Santo businessman. That’s why he has to find a way out. This tariff is neither well to Brazil nor the American people.”
