Spanish
São Paulo.- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva boasted this Monday that Brazil "did not bow its head" in the face of tariffs and the "offenses" of US President Donald Trump, with whom he is trying to approach after months of tension.
"Everyone knows that when Trump imposed tariffs (of 50%) and offended Brazil, we didn't bow our heads because, although we are not as big as them, we have a character and a dignity that we are often not aware of," Lula said in an official event at the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia.
"That's what makes a country become a nation," he completed.
Lula referred to the Republican leader during his speech at the launch of a credit line of 40,000 million reais ($7,400 million or €6,400 million) on advantageous terms for the lower and middle classes to renovate their homes.
The Brazilian head of state reviewed the social programs implemented since he returned to power on January 1, 2023, when he mentioned Trump.
Brazil and the U.S. are experiencing an unprecedented diplomatic crisis after the American president imposed 50% tariffs on a large part of Brazilian products in retaliation for the trial against the ultra-conservative former president Jair Bolsonaro, his ally, for coup-mongering.
The Trump administration doubled down on its offensive with trade investigations against Brazil, economic sanctions against some of the Supreme Court judges, and the revocation of visas for magistrates of the high court and officials of the Lula government.
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However, both leaders met in the corridors of the past UN General Assembly, in New York, and initiated a thaw that, a priori, will culminate in a first face-to-face meeting and possible visits to their respective countries. In this context, on October 6th, they had a "friendly" call for 30 minutes and Lula proposed to meet during the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which will be held at the end of this month in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Ten days later, the chancellors of Brazil and the U.S., Mauro Vieira and Marco Rubio, met in Washington, where they resumed trade negotiations "in a constructive attitude".
