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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Lula Reasserts Brazil’s Sovereignty on Eve of Independence Day

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said foreign countries had no right to dictate whom Brazil could buy from or sell to, in an indirect criticism of U.S. trade measures.
  • He said additional tariffs imposed under Donald Trump’s administration had raised duties on some Brazilian exports to as much as 37.5%.
  • Lula, seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term in October, leads the reported first-round polling but holds only a narrow advantage over Flávio Bolsonaro in a potential runoff.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used the eve of Independence Day to make a forceful defense of national sovereignty, saying Brazil would decide for itself whom it could buy from and sell to.

In a radio and television address, Lula did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump by name. His remarks nevertheless pointed to Washington’s trade measures, which have subjected some Brazilian products to additional tariffs of up to 37.5%.

We defend free trade. No foreign country has the right to tell us whom we can buy from and whom we can sell to. We are a sovereign country, and our decisions belong to us and no one else.

· Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLula criticized foreign pressure on Brazil’s trade decisions in a televised address.

“We defend free trade. No foreign country has the right to tell us whom we can buy from and whom we can sell to. We are a sovereign country, and our decisions belong to us and no one else,” Lula said.

He said Brazil’s peaceful character did not mean it would “bow its head before foreign powers.” “We are not a colony and we will not be anyone’s colony,” he added. Lula also argued that Brazil’s natural wealth should drive economic and social development, citing its reported second-largest reserves of rare earths, the world’s largest freshwater source and a recently discovered oil reserve off the Amazon coast.

bow our head before foreign powers

· Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLula said Brazil’s peaceful character did not mean accepting pressure from foreign powers.

For Lula, sovereignty means defending Brazil’s territory, borders, environment, resources and population from foreign interests while giving citizens the conditions to achieve their own “independence.” He also defended Brazil’s commitment to world peace, free trade and harmony among nations.

Lula is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term in October and leads the reported first-round polling with 38%, followed by far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro on 33%. In a potential runoff, Datafolha gave Lula 46% and Bolsonaro 44%, a technical tie within the margin of error.

We are not a colony and we will not be anyone’s colony.

· Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLula emphasized his rejection of foreign control over Brazil.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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