SAO PAULO, June 2 - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used public remarks on Tuesday to underscore his country's commercial relationship with China in the wake of a U.S. proposal that would impose a 25% punitive tariff on many imports from Brazil.
At an event in Goias state, Lula drew attention to a development earlier that day in which China formally recognized Brazil as free of foot-and-mouth disease, framing that decision as a counterpoint to the tariff proposal from the United States. The president emphasized Brazil’s alternative markets with a pointed remark: "If you don’t want to buy from me, I will sell to someone else."
Lula said he first learned of the U.S. tariff proposal during ongoing trade discussions. He noted that trade negotiators from the United States and Brazil had met three times in recent weeks but had been unable to finalize a deal.
The president assigned blame for the U.S. proposal to Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, accusing the right-wing presidential hopeful of lobbying Washington to seek tariffs targeting Brazilian exporters. Lula also leveled criticism at "U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio," saying the U.S. official is anti-Latin America and does not like Brazil.
Separately, the article notes that Senator Bolsonaro said earlier on Tuesday he had urged Trump not to impose tariffs on Brazilian companies, a statement that sits alongside Lula’s accusation that the senator had lobbied for the opposite outcome.
The U.S. embassy in Brazil was contacted for comment but did not immediately respond.
These developments came as trade negotiations between the two countries continued without resolution. Lula’s public remarks stressed alternatives for Brazilian exporters while also calling attention to diplomatic gestures from China, which recognized Brazil’s animal health status earlier in the day.
Readouts of the trade meetings were not included in the remarks reported here; the exchanges between negotiators have been described as occurring three times in recent weeks but without an agreement being reached.
The exchange of statements among Brazil’s president, a prominent senator, and U.S. officials underscores persistent uncertainty around trade relations, diplomatic responses, and the negotiating process.