Brazil’s Lula Intensifies Attacks On Trump Amid Tariff Dispute, ‘Won’t Take Orders’

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reportedly said he would not take orders from a ‘gringo,’ referring to U.S. President Donald Trump, as tensions between the two leaders rise over tariffs.

Last week, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on goods from Brazil due to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, which the Republican President has dubbed a ‘witch hunt.’ In a letter sent to Lula, Trump also attacked Brazil, claiming that U.S. companies have been victims of unfair trade practices.

Trump again voiced his support for Bolsonaro on Thursday by posting a letter issued to the former president on Truth Social. He urged the Brazilian government to “stop attacking political opponents and end their ridiculous censorship regime.”

Trump unveiled the tariffs, set to take effect on Aug. 1, days after Lula called him an ‘emperor’ the world does not want. The U.S. president also ruffled feathers by threatening tariffs on BRICS members.

According to a Reuters report, Lula said in a speech that "No foreigner is going to give orders to this president." He reportedly used the slang word 'gringo', which is commonly used in Brazil to refer to a foreigner and does not carry the pejorative sense similar to other parts of South America.

Lula also defended Brazil’s rights to regulate and tax U.S. tech firms. Speaking at a gathering of leftist student activists in the state of Goiás, he reportedly noted that tech firms are conduits of violence and fake news disguised as freedom of expression.

"We expected a response, and what we received was unacceptable blackmail, in the form of threats to Brazilian institutions and false information about trade between Brazil and the United States," he reportedly said in a televised address later.

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) was in the ‘bullish’ territory at the time of writing.

The proposed tariffs are likely to impact key Brazilian exports, including crude oil, semi-finished iron, and coffee. Earlier this week, the Brazilian planemaker Embraer warned that the tariffs could affect the company's revenue as significantly as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A poll showed most Brazilians are in favor of Lula’s countermeasures against Trump.

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