The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, responded to the letter sent by senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), in which the parliamentarian asked that Washington did not adopt 25% tariffs on Brazilian products. The response, dated June 23, 2026, to the American capital and signals willingness to cooperate with the senator if he wins the presidential elections in October.
Regarding the request to avoid increasing tariffs, Rubio stated that the trade investigation conducted by the United States concluded that it still there are “substantial differences” between the two countries in relation to the issues analyzed. Therefore, the secretary did not indicate any change in the American government’s position on the possible adoption of trade measures against Brazil.
Read the letter in full:
Dear Senator Bolsonaro:
Thank you for your letter and your recent visit to Washington. I share your conviction that the enduring friendship between the United States and Brazil must remain anchored in shared values, mutual respect, and a unified vision for the security and prosperity of the Western Hemisphere.
I deeply appreciate your support of our decision to designate Red Command and First Capital Command as Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations and Foreign Terrorist Organizations under U.S. law. The United States recognizes that the violence and sophisticated criminal networks of these factions threaten the security of honest citizens throughout our shared hemisphere. By targeting their financial, drug and weapons networks, we are taking decisive action to protect the Brazilian and American people from transnational organized crime.
As you noted, the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, announced on June 1, 2026 his determination that certain acts, policies and practices of Brazil are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. He proposed a response action for public consultation. This determination and proposed response action are the result of an investigation initiated in July 2025 at the specific direction of President Trump.
Ambassador Greer made it clear that we continue to have substantial differences in resolving the issues identified in this investigation. These relate to digital commerce, electronic payment services, unfair preferential tariffs, combating corruption, protecting intellectual property, access to the ethanol market and illegal deforestation.
Any interested party in Brazil may participate in the public consultation period on the proposed corrective action and the public hearing that the Office of the United States Trade Representative will convene on July 6, 2026. The public consultation period remains open until July 1, 2026. Requests to attend the hearing must be submitted by June 22, 2026.
The United States remains steadfast in its desire to see a prosperous, secure and economically stable Brazil. We note your optimism regarding the upcoming October elections and your generous offer to place a transition team at our disposal should you be elected. The United States stands ready to work cooperatively with the leaders chosen by the Brazilian people to pursue a broad, fair, and mutually beneficial trade and investment framework.
I look forward to the continuation of our dialogue and the deepening of the strategic partnership between our two great nations. May God bless the United States and Brazil.
Yours sincerely,
Marco Rubio.
