Lula, Trump discuss US tariffs on Brazilian goods in phone call

The U.S. government announced 25% tariffs on certain Brazilian goods last month, citing unfair trade practices. Additionally, 12.5% tariffs were applied to goods from numerous countries, including Brazil, over concerns about the enforcement of forced labor prohibitions.

Lula expressed that these tariffs would negatively impact both economies. He also stated that the justifications provided by Washington, which included issues such as deforestation, intellectual property rights, corruption, Brazil's Pix instant payment system, ethanol, and imports allegedly linked to forced labor, were baseless.

Earlier in August, Brazil initiated a process to seek further consultations with U.S. trade authorities, a step that could potentially lead to retaliatory measures against the U.S.

During the call, Lula also reaffirmed Brazil's willingness to cooperate with the U.S. in combating organized crime, while emphasizing that criminal gangs operating within Brazil should not be equated with terrorist organizations, a designation Washington had applied to two such groups in May.