Lula says there will be “reciprocity” if Trump gravels the Brazilian products

The President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Thursday that Brazil will act with “reciprocity” if USA It imposes additional tariffs on their products, but that prefers an improvement in bilateral relations during the government of Donald Trump.

The leftist leader, whose country will house the Cop30 in the Amazon city of Belém, also questioned Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO).

“It is very simple: if the Brazilian products tax, there will be reciprocity of Brazil taxing exported products from the United States. That simple, ”Lula said at a press conference in Brasilia.

After returning to power on January 20, Trump He has threatened to impose tariffs on allied and rival countries for which he establishes demands that go beyond the commercial.

Lula, who demonstrated his support for Democrat Kamala Harris in the US elections, wished Trump a “good governance” and stressed that he expects an improvement of commercial relations instead of a war of tariffs.

Brazil and the United States shared a trade balance of 80.9 billion dollars in 2024, with a 250 million deficit for the Brazilian side, according to official figures.

“I want to respect the United States and that Trump respects Brazil. It’s just that (…) for me what I want is to improve our relationship with the United States, ”he said.

“I am not worried if he wants to fight for Greenland, the Gulf of Mexico or the Panama Canal, he only has to respect the sovereignty of the other countries,” he said.

The relations between Washington and Brasilia tensed in recent days after the Brazilian government’s claim for the “denigrant” treatment given by US authorities to an 88 deportened contingent.

The Brazilian government summoned on Monday the business manager of the US embassy to ask for explanations, but the parties agreed to collaborate.

“Recook for civilization”

Lula, who already ruled Brazil between 2003 and 2010, also warned about threats to democracy in the world.

“For me democracy is the most relevant thing at that moment in humanity (…) or we keep democracy or we will have more authoritarian states than Hitler’s and fascism,” he said.

“Democracy will be the great defeated” if the extreme right continues to grow and if the ‘fake news’ and lies “beat the truth,” he added.

Lula described Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States, the second largest contaminant in the world behind China, Paris Agreement and the WHO of “setback for human civilization.”

He reiterated his criticisms of the rich nations for not having fulfilled his commitments to give billionaire contributions to developing countries to adapt to climate change.

And he stressed that the COP30 In the Amazon it cannot be an appointment in which “measures are approved, everything is very beautiful on paper and then nobody complies.”

“We want (a conference) very real to know if we are serious or not in the climate,” he said.

Initiative

Lula made an extensive press conference in Brasilia, while his government tries to resume the initiative after a wave of misinformation and a fall in the popularity of the president.

After undergoing surgery to stop cranial hemorrhage in December linked to a fall, the president said he was fully recovered and with “the energy of 30 years.”

Less than two years after finishing his third government, Lula’s popularity fell to 47%, according to a Quaest firm published this week.

But the head of state said “not worry” about the polls and ruled out any concern for increasing interest rates.

As expected, the Central Bank uploaded its reference interest rate at a percentage point, up to 13.25%, despite the fact that the new president of the monetary entity, Gabriel Galipolo, was appointed by Lula.

“The president of the Central Bank cannot give a change of helm in a sea scrambled from one moment to another,” he said.