U.S. Tariffs Trigger Brazil's "Indignation"
(MENAFN) The Brazilian government has lodged a formal protest against the United States' decision to introduce a 50 percent import tariff on all goods exported from Brazil starting August 1, warning the move could trigger serious economic repercussions and damage long-standing bilateral ties.
In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Brazilian officials expressed strong disapproval of the policy, which was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on July 9.
The letter, co-signed by Vice President and Development Minister Geraldo Alckmin alongside Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, was disclosed Wednesday through a statement from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services.
"The Brazilian government expresses its indignation at the July 9 announcement,"
the letter stated, adding that the tariffs pose a threat to vital industries in both countries and risk undermining a historically robust economic alliance.
"In over two centuries of bilateral ties, trade has been a cornerstone of cooperation and prosperity between the two largest economies in the Americas,"
the message continued.
The official protest aligns with a rising tide of discontent in Brazil. According to a survey by consulting firm Quaest, conducted between July 10 and 14, a significant majority of Brazilians oppose the new tariffs. The poll, which included over 2,000 participants from 120 municipalities, revealed that 72 percent reject President Trump’s rationale—his claim of political persecution targeting former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Additionally, 79 percent of respondents expressed concern that the tariffs could adversely impact their personal or family livelihoods. The survey also indicated that 53 percent support President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s proposed retaliatory tariffs. Amid the controversy, Lula’s approval rating ticked up slightly, rising from 40 to 43 percent.
Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced that Washington has opened an investigation into Brazil’s commercial policies, focusing on its treatment of digital trade and electronic payments—areas the U.S. claims are biased against American companies and detrimental to U.S. business interests.
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