Washington, Oct 6
US President Donald Trump on Monday held a phone call with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, calling the conversation “very good.â€
This morning, I had a very good telephone call with President Lula, of Brazil. We discussed many things, but it was mostly focused on the Economy, and Trade, between our two Countries. We will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States. I enjoyed the call — Our Countries will do very well together!
It was the first major conversation between the two sides after the Trump administration slapped a 50 per cent tariff on Brazil in retaliation for legal action against former Brazilian President and an ally of Trump, Jair Bolsonaro.
The two leaders briefly met during the UN General Assembly session in New York last month, with Trump saying that he and Lula had “good chemistry.â€
After the call, the Brazilian President also posted on X, saying that “he received a call from President Trump†and “reminisced about the good chemistry we had†in New York.
“I consider our direct contact as an opportunity for the restoration of the 201-year friendly relations between the two largest democracies in the West. During the phone call, I recalled that Brazil is one of the three G20 countries with which the United States maintains a surplus in the balance of goods and services,†Lula wrote.
Lula also demanded the lifting of tariffs on Brazilian goods and announced that he may meet Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in late October.
Brazil, as a member of BRICS, has been vocal against Trump’s economic policies and has attempted to build a common strategy to tackle US tariffs.
In September, Brazil hosted an online BRICS Summit to coordinate strategies, with Lula warning that “tariff blackmail is being normalised as a tool for conquering markets and interfering in domestic issues.â€
Both Brazil and India have been hit with a 50 per cent tariff rate by the Trump administration, with a few exceptions. Trade negotiations between India and the United States have resumed after a brief hiatus, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer holding talks with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New York on September 22.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Trump's tariff policies are affecting multiple developing economies. India should stand firm like Brazil and not compromise on our economic interests. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
While I understand the concerns about tariffs, let's be practical. Both India and Brazil need to find a middle ground with the US. Trade wars benefit no one in the long run. We should focus on negotiation rather than confrontation.
This "good chemistry" between leaders is nice, but what about actual results? Brazil and India both have 50% tariffs hanging over our heads. Hope our trade ministers are taking notes from this conversation! ðŸ“
As someone working in exports, these tariff tensions are really worrying. Our small business has already seen orders from US clients reduce. Hope the government finds a solution soon that protects Indian industries.
BRICS coordination is the way forward! Brazil hosting that online summit shows we're not alone in this fight. India should take more leadership in uniting emerging economies against unfair trade practices. 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.