Brazil’s President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva has called for a joint Brics response to tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, positioning himself as a defender of multilateralism at a time of rising global trade tensions.
In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Lula criticised Trump’s recent tariff wave, saying they reflect an attempt to dismantle the global multilateral order in favour of unilateral deals dominated by the United States.
“What President Trump is doing is tacit — he wants to dismantle multilateralism, where agreements are made collectively within institutions, and replace it with unilateralism, where he negotiates one-on-one with other countries,” Lula said.
“What bargaining power does a small Latin American country have against the United States? None.”
LULA TO SPEAK WITH BRICS LEADERS
Lula said he will reach out to Brics leaders — including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders — to understand how each country to formulate a collective response.
“I’m going to try to discuss with them about how each one is doing in this situation, what the implications are for each country, so we can make a decision,” Lula said.
“It’s important to remember that the Brics have ten countries at the G20.”
Lula, who held the Brics presidency, said Brazil will use its leadership to bring member countries together — including Russia, South Africa and other emerging economies — to stand up for multilateral trade and collective decision-making.
Trump has recently labelled Brics as “anti-American” and threatened additional 10% tariffs on its member nations. The move followed last month’s Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro and is seen as part of Trump’s broader campaign to reassert US trade dominance ahead of the 2026 election.
LULA ACCUSES BOLSONARO OF INCITING US TARIFFS ON BRAZIL
The Brazilian president also accused his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, of working behind the scenes to provoke Trump into targeting Brazil with punitive trade measures.
“He (Bolsonaro) is being tried for his actions,” Lula told Reuters. “Now I think he should face more legal proceedings because of what he is doing, inciting the United States against Brazil, causing harm to the Brazilian economy, causing harm to Brazilian workers.”
Lula’s remarks follow public statements by So Paulo Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro — the former president’s son — who recently moved to the United States. Eduardo claimed credit for influencing Trump’s White House to impose sweeping 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, which came into effect on Wednesday.
“There is no precedent in history for a president of the republic and a son, who is a congressman, to go to the United States to incite the president against Brazil,” Lula said, calling the Bolsonaros “traitors to the homeland.”
The tensions are not only about trade. The United States condemned the decision by Brazil’s Supreme Court to place former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest before his trial on charges of plotting a coup.
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With inputs from Reuters