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Lula Rejects “Humiliation” in Tariff Talks as U.S. Raises Duties on Brazilian Goods

BRASILIA,— President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he sees no current path for direct tariff negotiations with President Donald Trump, in an interview where he stated he will not “humiliate” himself by initiating talks he believes are unlikely to produce constructive results. The comments come as the United States imposes steep new tariffs—up to 50%—on key Brazilian exports, further straining relations between the two nations. Despite the escalation, Lula ruled out retaliatory tariffs for now and emphasized that Brazil’s response will remain within the bounds of diplomacy and domestic economic resilience.

“The day my intuition says Trump is ready to talk, I won’t hesitate to call him,” Lula said from his official residence in Brasília. “But today my intuition says he doesn’t want to talk. And I won’t humiliate myself.”

The new tariffs are among the highest imposed by the Trump administration and are widely seen as politically motivated, following reports that Trump linked tariff relief to an end to Brazil’s ongoing prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, currently standing trial for alleged efforts to overturn the 2022 election, has become a focal point in the renewed tension.

Lula rejected the notion of political influence over Brazil’s judiciary. “The Supreme Court does not care what Trump says, and it should not,” he said. Calling Bolsonaro a “traitor to the homeland,” Lula argued that the former president should face a new trial for soliciting U.S. interference. “We had already pardoned the U.S. intervention in the 1964 coup… but this now is not a small intervention.”

While the trade barriers could affect sectors such as steel, aluminum, and soy, Lula downplayed the broader economic impact, pointing to Brazil’s recent growth and its ability to absorb the shock. He said his cabinet is working on measures to mitigate the fallout, emphasizing Brazil’s commitment to “fiscal responsibility.”

Looking outward, Lula said he intends to engage BRICS partners—including India and China—for possible joint action. “This is a matter for the global South as well as Brazil,” he said.

The Brazilian president also signaled openness to a future meeting with Trump—potentially at the U.N. General Assembly in New York or COP30 climate talks in Belém—but expressed concern about how Trump has treated past guests.

“What Trump did with Zelenskiy was humiliation. That’s not normal. What Trump did with Ramaphosa was humiliation,” Lula said. “I respect everyone and I demand respect.”

In the long term, Lula said his government would also prioritize a new national strategy on Brazil’s critical mineral reserves. The plan, he noted, will reframe the resource sector as one of national sovereignty, moving away from decades of low-value extraction for export.

“Brazil must not just dig and ship. We must innovate, industrialize, and benefit our people first,” he said.