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Brazil Prepares Retaliation Over US Tariffs, Citing 'Arrogant Attack'
🇵🇱 Poland /Economy & Trade

Brazil Prepares Retaliation Over US Tariffs, Citing 'Arrogant Attack'

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Brazil is preparing retaliatory measures against the United States following the imposition of new 25% tariffs on Brazilian goods.
  • The Brazilian government is considering restrictions on American audiovisual companies and the suspension of pharmaceutical and agricultural patents to exert pressure without harming consumers.
  • The US tariffs, set to take effect July 22, are justified by Washington as a response to Brazil's alleged unfair trade practices, including digital trade and deforestation.

Brazil is gearing up to respond forcefully to the United States' decision to impose new 25% tariffs on a range of Brazilian products. The Brazilian government convened on July 16 to finalize its retaliatory strategy, which will be based on a previously enacted reciprocity law. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has vowed to use this law against Washington's new tariffs, scheduled to begin July 22.

How we proceed will depend on the guidelines we receive from the president, but it is highly unlikely that there will not be a strong response.

— Brazilian administration representativeSpeaking to Reuters about Brazil's planned retaliation.

Sources indicate that Brazil is contemplating measures such as imposing restrictions on American audiovisual companies and potentially suspending pharmaceutical and agricultural patents. These actions are designed to apply pressure on Washington without directly increasing prices for Brazilian consumers. The US administration cited unfair trade practices, encompassing digital trade and illegal deforestation, as the reasons for the new tariffs, which follow months of unsuccessful negotiations and over 30 meetings between officials from both nations.

Brazilian officials have rejected the accusations of unfair trade practices. Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira accused the Trump administration of attempting to pressure Brazil into granting exclusive access to certain economic sectors for American companies. He emphasized that Brazil has consistently remained open to dialogue and criticized remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as "unacceptable, offensive to Brazilians and the Brazilian government." Rubio had suggested on platform X that Lula was prioritizing his ego over reaching an agreement with the US.

Rubio launched a brutal and arrogant attack on the head of a friendly country, who personally sought to open channels of dialogue on several occasions.

— Mauro VieiraBrazilian Foreign Minister criticizing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's remarks.

Vieira described Rubio's comments as a "brutal and arrogant attack" on the leader of a friendly nation who had personally sought to open channels of communication multiple times. The dispute highlights significant tensions in US-Brazil trade relations, with Brazil determined to defend its economic interests against what it perceives as unwarranted US aggression.

He places his ego above reaching an agreement with the US.

— Marco RubioUS Secretary of State's comment on President Lula's stance, posted on X.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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