Escalation: Lula and Bolsonaro Clash Over U.S. Tariff

Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro sent a filing to the U.S. Trade Representative arguing that a proposed 25% tax on Brazilian goods would hand President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a political victory. He cited polling in the document and urged that any tariff hike be postponed even as the U.S. keeps the investigation’s findings on Brazil on the books.

Lula called the filing “yet another act of treason against the fatherland” and said there is no justification for a tariff increase now or later. Three hours later, Flávio Bolsonaro said Lula is the one who wants higher tariffs and announced he will return to the United States next week to press for the extra taxes not to be applied.

The exchange unfolded as Washington weighs the new 25% levy despite a U.S. goods trade surplus with Brazil, and a year after the United States imposed a 50% tariff citing a “witch hunt” against Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil has also pushed back at the U.S. trade probe, rejecting claims that its PIX instant payment system disadvantages foreign payment services and calling its rules lawful and pro‑competition.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources