The President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT), spoke about the measures announced by the government of US homologous, Donald Trump, in a rare interview with the newspaper The New York Times (NYT)two days before the 50% rate on Brazilian imports come into force.
Asked what could be used to negotiate with republican management, as the petista said interferences in the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro were “non-negotiable,” Lula focused on talking about diplomacy and accused Trump of placing the business between countries in a political fight.
According to President Lula, “this is what I hope he [Trump] Reflect. Honestly, I don’t know what he heard about me. But if he knew me, he would know that I am 20 times better than (Bolsonaro), “the petista told the newspaper.
The ruler of Brazil said he tried to mark conversations with the White House leader for months, but was ignored. “What prevents this from is that no one wants to talk. I asked to contact you. I designated my vice president, my agriculture minister, my economy minister, so that each one can talk to his counterpart and understand what the possibility of dialogue would be. So far, it has not been possible,” he said.
Lula stressed that, after the attempts of dialogue, he only learned of the imposition of a fare through the publication of Trump on the 9th. Given this, the Brazilian president said he awaits “civility” in the Brazil-Ita relationship. “The tone of Trump’s letter is definitely that of someone who doesn’t want to talk.”
The petista said he was not afraid of Trump, despite showing “fear” with the impacts of the measure for Brazilians and the national economy. The ruler was emphatic in the interview saying that he would not put Brazil in a lower position in the negotiation.
“This cannot be puffed into the chest and shouting about things that cannot be accomplished, nor lowering their heads and simply saying ‘Amen’ to everything the United States want,” he said. Two days from the tariff, the two leaders have not yet been spoken.
Lula says Bolsonaro is being tried with “full right of defense”
In an excerpt from the interview, Lula stated that Trump made the Brazilian people and the American people victims of their tariff policy for political purposes.
According to the petista, citizens do not deserve to pay more for some products because of the lawsuit against former President Bolsonaro. Lula stated that Brazil has a constitution and “the former president is being tried with full right of defense”.
In a combative tone, the president of Brazil also said that if Trump seeks a political fight, “then let’s treat her as a political fight. If he wants to talk about commerce, let’s sit down and discuss trade. But you can’t mix everything.”
“Extraordinary” relationship with China
At another point in the interview, the petista said that if the United States does not want to continue doing business with Brazil, the country will look for new business partners.
To the American newspaper, Lula said he maintains an “extraordinary relationship” with China, a country with which Washington negotiates another deal after months of trade war.
“If the United States and China want a cold war, we won’t accept it. I have no preference. I am interested in selling to anyone who wants to buy from me – to those who pay the most.”
O New York Timeswho classified Lula as “the most important Latin American statesman of the century, said in the article that” there may be no world leader challenging President Trump as strongly as Mr. Lula. “
“Here the judiciary is independent,” says Lula
Asked about the possibility of US government sanctions against the Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes and other judges, who can be punished with the application of the magnitsky law, Lula has classified the measure as very serious. For him, the STF “must be respected by its own country and the world.”
The petista made it clear that the filing of the lawsuit against former President Jair Bolsonaro is unenforceable. “Maybe he [Trump] Do not know that here in Brazil the judiciary is independent “.
