In a New York Times interview published July 30, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that Brazil has made repeated attempts to engage in dialogue with Donald Trump’s administration regarding negotiations related to the 50% tariffs on Brazilian products announced by the US president. Lula pointed out that at least 10 meetings with representatives of the US Department of Commerce have been requested without success. The tariffs are set to take effect this Friday, August 1.

“What’s preventing it is that no one wants to talk. I have asked to make contact. I designated my vice president, my agriculture minister, my economy minister, so that each can talk to their counterpart to understand what the possibility for conversation was. So far, it hasn’t been possible,” Lula said. “I think it’s important for President Trump to consider: If he wants to have a political fight, then let’s treat it as a political fight. If he wants to talk trade, let’s sit down and discuss trade. But you can’t mix everything together.”

According Jack Nicas of The New York Times, “there is perhaps no world leader defying President Trump as strongly as Mr. Lula.” In the conversation, the Brazilian president stated that the surcharge leaves Brazil “concerned”, but not “afraid”.

“In politics between two states, the will of neither should prevail. We always need to find the middle ground. This is achieved not by puffing out your chest and shouting about things you can’t deliver, nor by bowing your head and simply saying ‘amen’ to whatever the United States wants,” Lula said in the interview, his first with the publication in 13 years.

“Be sure that we are treating this with the utmost seriousness. But seriousness does not require subservience,” said the Brazilian president. “I treat everyone with great respect. But I want to be treated with respect.”

President Lula also pointed out that Trump’s efforts to help Bolsonaro, who is on trial for attempting a coup d’état, will be paid for by the American people. As a result, they may face higher prices for coffee, meat, orange juice, and other products exported from Brazil.

“Neither the American people nor the Brazilian people deserve this,” Lula said. “Because we are going to move from a 201-year-old diplomatic relationship of win-win, to a political relationship of lose-lose.”

“I hope that civility returns to the Brazil-US relationship,” said the Brazilian president, for whom “the tone of [Trump’s] letter is definitely that of someone who doesn’t want to talk.”

This article was translated from Portuguese from an article originally published in Brasil de Fato.

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