(Sao Paulo) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva described on Thursday “unacceptable blackmail” the threat of Donald Trump to impose a 50 % customs surcharge in Brazil, during a speech broadcast on the national channel.
On July 9, the American president announced 50 % additional customs duties on Brazilian exports from 1is august. He invoked an alleged “witch hunt” against his ally, the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, tried for attempted coup.
During her television speech, Lula also described as “traitors to the fatherland” “certain Brazilian politicians” who support the threats of Mr. Trump against the first economy of Latin America.
“Brazil has only one owner: the Brazilian people,” he warned, while ensuring continuing to “bet on good commercial and diplomatic relations” with the United States.
In a letter to the former Brazilian-president published on his Truth Social network, Trump had insisted earlier Thursday so that the government of Lula “changes course” and “ceases to attack” Mr. Bolsonaro.
“I saw the terrible treatment that you receive in the hands of an unjust system that turned against you. This trial must stop immediately, “wrote the American president.
Judged for attempted coup d’etat, Mr. Bolsonaro, who exercised the supreme function from 2019 to 2022, faces up to 40 years in prison. The Brazilian prosecution claimed the latter’s conviction on Tuesday for “coup d’etat”.
Faced with punitive customs duties announced by Mr. Trump, Brazil said he was “ready for dialogue” on trade between the two countries, in a letter made public on Wednesday.
This letter, signed by the Brazilian vice-president Geraldo Alckmin, also Minister of Industry and Commerce, and the head of diplomacy Mauro Vieira, was sent to the American secretary on Tuesday, Howard Larnick, and to the Representative of Commerce Jamieson Greer.
