Lula Rebukes Trump’s Tariff Threat: “He’s Not the Emperor of the World”

By Staff, Agencies

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has sharply criticized US President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to impose a sweeping 50% tariff on all Brazilian imports, calling the move unilateral and unacceptable.

In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Lula said he was stunned by Trump’s announcement, which was delivered through a letter posted on Truth Social last week.

“When I read the letter, I thought it was fake news,” he said, blasting the statement as a violation of diplomatic norms. “It breaks away from any protocol, any liturgy that should exist between the relations between two heads of state.”

Trump framed the tariff as a response to what he called a political “witch hunt” against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces criminal investigations over his role in the January 2023 capital riots.

Trump demanded the cases be dropped and warned that further retaliation would follow if Brazil responds in kind.

Lula firmly rejected the pressure: “We cannot have President Trump forgetting that he was elected to govern the US – he was not elected to be the emperor of the world,” he said. “Brazil will not accept anything imposed on it. We accept negotiation, not imposition.”

While emphasizing openness to dialogue, Lula said Brazil is “preparing to give an answer” to Trump’s tariff threat. The warning comes as the US initiates a formal investigation into alleged “unfair” Brazilian trade practices, citing a $410 billion trade surplus over 15 years.

Trump has also threatened a blanket 10% tariff on all BRICS nations and warned that any country continuing trade with Russia could face secondary tariffs of up to 100% if the Ukraine conflict is not resolved within 50 days.

If implemented, the 50% Brazil tariff would be the steepest imposed so far, raising fears of escalating trade tensions between Washington and one of Latin America’s largest economies.