Zema and Caiado blame Lula's foreign policy for potential tariffs

Governors Romeu Zema and Ronaldo Caiado have seized upon President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's foreign policy as a political platform, criticizing his administration's handling of international relations. They contend that the government's diplomatic failures have led to a potential U.S. tariff imposition on Brazil.

Zema, in a social media video, stated that the current situation "did not happen by chance." He argued that Lula's government "failed in diplomacy" and neglected to protect Brazil's interests, leaving the country in a race against time to avert the tariffs. He suggested the White House perceives Brazil as having lost credibility, reduced legal certainty, and diminished commercial openness and negotiation power.

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This did not happen by chance. The Lula government failed in diplomacy and could not defend Brazil's interests. Now the country is racing against time to try to avoid this tariff. The White House sees a Brazil that has lost credibility and has less legal certainty, commercial openness, and strength to negotiate.

Caiado echoed these sentiments, asserting that Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has become ideologically driven, damaging its relationship with the United States. He lamented that the ministry, once a global reference, now "took an ideological side and worked to break this relationship with the United States."

Both Zema and Caiado, alongside Flávio Bolsonaro, were present at the Megaleite 2026 event in Belo Horizonte. While their advisors deny any agreements, the governors are reportedly considering uniting for the second round of the 2026 elections against Lula's Workers' Party (PT). They also commented on the U.S. classification of Brazilian criminal factions PCC and CV as terrorist organizations, expressing support for the American decision.

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The Brazilian chancellery has always been a world reference, but suddenly it took an ideological side and worked to break this relationship with the United States.