Relations between Brazil and the United States have historical strategic importance for both sides. In particular, now that Donald Trump’s government has declared that Latin America is a preferential zone for acting in its national interest.
This involves the reindustrialization process in the United States. In this sense, attracting industrial investment throughout the hemisphere is a guarantee of supply from nearby and friendly countries.
It also involves cutting off Chinese expansion in this region, an area of American influence. And it also includes transnational organized crime, which has been declared a threat to American national security.
In these three issues, Brazil is central, due to its size, population, productive and financial capacity. But, mainly, due to the partnership it has built with China.
which supplies basic necessities, such as soybeans, oil, minerals and meat. In addition to receiving industrial and commercial investment and an increasingly strong relationship in the defense area.
In the military sector, the United States’ participation has declined over time – and interest in purchasing equipment from Beijing has grown.
Given this scenario, the president
On a recent visit to Europe,
It seems that the Brazilian president wants to provoke some reaction from the American. The last time Trump reacted to Lula’s provocations, the result was positive for Planalto, with an improvement in its performance among the population and its electoral potential.
But the relationship between the countries is permanent and will continue.
At the moment, the most . Today, Brazil has half of its products exempt from import duties to enter the American market. Another part, around 12%, with a 10% tax, in addition to tariffs linked to national security and specific to steel and aluminum.
If Brazil does not provoke the United States too much, it may even be that in the tariff review that will take place from July onwards, Brazilians will not receive enough of an imposition to disrupt trade.
But if the Planalto continues to attract the attention of the United States, it may receive back tariffs that make trade unfeasible. That won’t be good. It won’t be good for producers, it won’t be good for the Brazilian population and it won’t be good, particularly for President Lula.
Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention at this moment, avoid provocations, deal with the issue from a technical point of view, but mainly from a strategic political point of view.
What is at stake is global hegemony, regional dominance and it is in this sense that a permanent agenda for Brazilian society has to be pleaded with the American authorities.
The relationship is strategic and long-term. It doesn’t matter which government is on duty. Brazil and the United States maintain interests, investments, trade and technology side by side.
And now, they clearly share a geographic region of shared interest.
* Alberto Pfeifer is general coordinator of the Defense, Security and Intelligence group at USP (University of São Paulo) and geopolitics researcher at Insper Agro Global. He was director of special projects and director of strategic international affairs at the Presidency of the Republic. This text was transcribed in first person video analysis for the WW.
