Brazil's President Lula blames Bolsonaro family for U.S. tariff plan

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused the Bolsonaro family of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly lobbying the U.S. government to impose a 25% tariff on Brazilian exports and intervene against Brazil’s PIX electronic payment system. The accusations followed a May trip by former President Jair Bolsonaro’s sons, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and Representative Eduardo Bolsonaro, to Washington, where they met with President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials. The U.S. Trade Representative later concluded an investigation accusing Brazil of trade practices that 'burden or restrict' U.S. commerce, citing PIX’s efficiency as a competitive threat, illegal deforestation, intellectual property piracy, and weak anti-corruption enforcement. While a 25% tariff was proposed, strategically important exports like beef, coffee, and aircraft were exempted. Lula dismissed the tariff plan as absurd, stating he and Trump had agreed to a 30-day period to resolve trade disputes during their recent White House meeting. He called the Bolsonaro family 'traitors' for allegedly seeking U.S. interference in Brazil’s domestic decisions, including direct requests to block PIX. Flavio Bolsonaro denied the claims, stating he had urged Trump not to impose tariffs and sent a letter reaffirming Brazil’s position. Lula also criticized U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling him 'anti-Latin America' after Rubio classified Brazil alongside Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Colombia as non-allies in a Senate hearing. The Brazilian president announced plans to attend the upcoming G7 summit in France and pursue alternative trade partners to mitigate U.S. policy impacts. Brazil’s government emphasized that trade negotiations with the U.S. were ongoing, despite the tariff proposal. Lula framed the dispute as politically motivated, arguing that the Bolsonaro family’s actions had damaged Brazil’s diplomatic and economic relations with Washington.