By Atoyebi Nike
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has condemned what he described as “tariff blackmail” by the United States, after President Donald Trump imposed a 50 percent import charge on Brazilian goods.
Speaking at a virtual BRICS summit on Monday with leaders Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Cyril Ramaphosa, Lula accused Washington of using tariffs as a tool of economic coercion and political interference.
“Tariff blackmail is being normalized as an instrument for market conquest and to interfere in domestic affairs,” Lula said.
The trade measure has hit Brazil’s economy hard, with exports to the U.S. plunging 18.5 percent year-on-year in August, according to official figures.
Trump has justified the tariffs as punishment for what he called a “witch hunt” against his ally, Brazil’s former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for allegedly plotting a coup to overturn Lula’s 2022 election victory. A verdict is expected this week.
In response, Brazil has signaled it may introduce retaliatory tariffs and has already lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The dispute marks one of the most significant trade clashes between the two nations in recent years, with analysts warning of wider fallout for Brazil’s key industries if tensions escalate further.
