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Lula calls Rubio 'enemy' of Latin America amid Brazil tariff threat
🇬🇷 Greece /Economy & Trade

Lula calls Rubio 'enemy' of Latin America amid Brazil tariff threat

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio an "enemy" of Latin America in response to Washington's threat of new tariffs on Brazilian products.
  • The U.S. Trade Representative's office proposed a 25% tariff on Brazilian goods, citing an investigation into the country's "unfair trade practices."
  • The dispute occurs shortly after a meeting between Lula and former U.S. President Donald Trump, and amid Lula's upcoming re-election bid against the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has labeled U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio an "enemy" of Latin America. This strong reaction comes after Washington threatened new tariffs on Brazilian exports to the United States.

enemy of Latin America

— Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaBrazilian President Lula da Silva's characterization of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in response to proposed tariffs.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office proposed a 25% tariff on Brazilian products, based on an investigation into the country's alleged "unfair trade practices" initiated in July 2025. This development strains bilateral relations, occurring just three weeks after a meeting between Lula and former U.S. President Donald Trump, which both sides had described as positive.

The dispute also carries domestic political implications for Lula, a center-left president seeking re-election in October. His main opponent is Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was a close ally of Trump. Flávio Bolsonaro recently visited Washington, meeting with Trump and Rubio. Lula accused Rubio of being a "mortal enemy" of Cuba and other Latin American nations, holding him responsible for the tariff threat.

unfair trade practices

— U.S. Trade Representative's OfficeThe stated reason for the investigation leading to proposed tariffs on Brazilian goods.

Flávio Bolsonaro denied Lula's accusations of "treasonous" behavior, stating he had explicitly asked Trump and Rubio not to impose new tariffs on Brazilian companies. He claimed the U.S. leadership "does not trust Lula." Trump, meanwhile, shared photos on Truth Social calling Flávio Bolsonaro an "intelligent young man who loves his country very much."

treasonous

— Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLula's accusation against Flávio Bolsonaro for allegedly seeking foreign interference in Brazil's affairs.

Adding to the tension, the U.S. government designated two Brazilian gangs as foreign "terrorist" organizations, prompting a strong reaction from Brasília, which feared potential U.S. military intervention. This follows previous high tariffs imposed by Washington in 2025 on Brazilian products, which Lula's government had called a "witch hunt" against Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a house arrest sentence for an attempted coup.

explicitly asked

— Flávio BolsonaroFlávio Bolsonaro's denial of treason, stating he requested the U.S. not impose new tariffs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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