U.S. tariff plan sparks Lula’s criticism of Bolsonaro family
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused members of the Bolsonaro family of being “traitors to the nation,” alleging they lobbied the U.S. government to impose a 25% tariff on Brazilian goods and target Brazil’s PIX electronic payment system.
The accusation stems from a trip the sons of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and Rep. Eduardo Bolsonaro, made to Washington in late May to meet with President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, News.Az reports, citing UPI.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Days after the meetings, the U.S. government announced it would designate Brazil's major criminal organizations, Primeiro Comando da Capital, or PCC, and Comando Vermelho, or CV, as terrorist organizations.
This week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative concluded an investigation that accused Brazil of adopting practices that "burden or restrict" U.S. commerce. The report cited concerns involving the PIX payment system, illegal deforestation, intellectual property piracy and shortcomings in the enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
As a result, the trade representative proposed a 25% tariff on Brazilian products, while exempting goods considered strategically important to Washington, including beef, fruit, coffee, aircraft and rare earth materials.
Lula said Wednesday that the U.S. position was absurd because trade negotiations between the two countries already were underway.
He said that during his most recent meeting with Trump at the White House, he presented documents showing what he described as the favorable trade relationship between the United States and Brazil. The two leaders agreed to a 30-day period to reach an agreement on trade issues.
"I left convinced that we were establishing a new framework for a democratic and civilized relationship. And I must confess that yesterday's decision surprised me," Lula said Wednesday, according to Agencia Brasil.
Lula had previously accused the former president's sons of interfering in the government's negotiations with the White House.
"Those Bolsonaro sons have managed to be even worse than him. They have traded away the nation," Lula said Tuesday during an event in the city of Catalao, according to Brazilian news outlet G1.
"They went to ask a foreign country to interfere in Brazil's decisions. They are traitors. What do traitors to the nation deserve when they ask another country to intervene against our people?" Lula asked rhetorically.
Flavio Bolsonaro rejected the accusation. In a statement posted on social media, the senator and presidential candidate said he urged Trump not to impose tariffs on Brazilian products during their recent meeting and sent a letter to the U.S. president reaffirming that position.
According to Brazilian media reports, Lula said the PIX payment system concerns the United States because it is more efficient and advantageous than some U.S.-based payment platforms. He accused Flavio Bolsonaro of directly asking the Trump administration to intervene against the payment tool.
Lula also criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accusing him of hostility toward Brazil and other Latin American countries.
"He is anti-Latin America. I already told Trump he does not like Brazil," Lula said during an event in Goias state, according to Grupo Metropole.
Earlier Tuesday, Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Brazil was among a group of countries in the region that are not considered U.S. allies, alongside Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Colombia.
During a cabinet meeting at the Planalto presidential palace on Wednesday, Lula said Brazil would continue seeking alternative trading partners to reduce the impact of U.S. trade policies.
According to Agencia Brasil, Lula announced he will attend the upcoming G7 summit in France this month as a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron, despite previously having no plans to participate.
"I was not even planning to attend the G7, but now I am. Someone has to restore order and stop this dismantling of multilateralism, democracy and the devaluation of institutions. If the United Nations is not working today, we will not fix the world by destroying it but by rebuilding it," Lula said, reaffirming his support for strengthening the U.N. and reforming its Security Council.
According to Brazil's Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, the proposed U.S. tariffs could directly affect 21% of Brazil's exports to the United States.
The Brazilian government and affected companies have until July 15 to submit comments on the trade representative's report, after which the United States could begin to adopt what it described as corrective measures against Brazil.
By Ulviyya Salmanli
Similar news
