Amid the tension with the United States, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) again criticized Donald Trump’s government stance and said on Sunday (3) that Brazil will continue to seek alternatives to the dollar in international transactions, defending the creation of payment mechanisms in other currencies, as has tried to implement with Argentina in the past.
“I won’t give up thinking that we need to build an alternative currency. I don’t need to be subordinate to the dollar. And I’m not saying that now: in 2004 we did it with Argentina,” he said, quoting regional business agreements signed during his first term.
The statement was made during the 17th National PT Meeting in Brasilia, when the government works to mitigate the effects of 50% tariff imposed by the US on Brazilian products.
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According to Lula, Brazil today is more “quiet” in relation to its economic dependence on the US and requires being treated on an equal foot. “We want to be respected for our size. We are not a republish. Trying to put a political subject to taxing us economically is unacceptable.”
The president also said that Americans have already “helped to blow” in Brazil.
“I will also not forget that they have already shouted here, they helped to blow. But what I want to know is from now on, what I do? They have to know that we have what to negotiate. We have such, we have attitude, we have economic and political interests,” Lula said, without specifying what historical episode referred to.
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“FIGHT LIMIT”
Also during the party event, Lula stated that he avoids the harsher criticism of the US president for strategic reasons, assessing that there are limits in the way Brazil should lead the confrontation. “I have a fight limit with the US government. I can’t say everything I think. I have to say what is possible,” he said, adding that he prefers to preserve dialogue channels.
The president quoted the phrase of singer Chico Buarque “does not speak thin to the United States, nor thick to Bolivia” as a guiding outside policy he intends to maintain, with pragmatic tone, but with speech linked to sovereignty.
