Lula rejects Trumps tariff talks offer, says will call PM Modi instead
India and Brazil, along with China and Russia, are founding members of BRICS -- a bloc Trump has accused of trying to undermine the global dominance of the US dollar.
New Delhi: Days after US President Donald Trump asked Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to call him "anytime" to discuss tariffs and bilateral tensions, Lula on Tuesday firmly rejected the offer, saying that Brazil would instead pursue all available diplomatic and legal channels, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to defend its interests.
Speaking at an event in Brasilia, Lula said, "I will call Xi Jinping, I will call Prime Minister Modi. I won't call Putin, because he can't travel now. But I will call many Presidents." He added that he would not call Trump because the US leader "does not want to talk".
'Most regrettable moment'
India and Brazil, along with China and Russia, are founding members of BRICS -- a bloc Trump has accused of trying to undermine the global dominance of the US dollar.
Referring to the day the 50 per cent tariff was imposed as "the most regrettable" moment in the history of Brazil-US relations, Lula said his government had already begun strengthening foreign trade ties with other nations.
"In 2025, we will resort to all possible measures, starting with the WTO, to defend our interests. In fact, the government was already taking steps to strengthen foreign trade and create new opportunities for domestic companies before the change in US administration," he said.
Brazil open to negotiating tariffs
Tensions between Washington and Brasilia have escalated since Trump imposed the hefty tariff, citing what he called a "witch hunt" by the Lula administration against former President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, who lost the 2022 election, is now facing charges of plotting a coup.
Lula, however, reiterated that Brazil is open to negotiating tariffs with the US, but only "on equal terms" and "with mutual respect".