Brazil says it is ready to discuss tariffs with the US

Brazil has said it is ready to engage in dialogue with the United States over tariffs. The country's position, outlined in a letter sent to Washington, became public around the same time it expressed "indignation" over the U.S. announcement of 50% tariffs.

In a document sent Tuesday to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the Brazilian government stated that it is "ready to dialogue with the U.S. authorities and negotiate a mutually acceptable solution on the trade aspects of the bilateral agenda."

The letter—obtained by AFP and signed by Vice President and Minister of Industry and Trade Geraldo Alckmin, along with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira—makes no mention of a separate investigation, also launched Tuesday by the Trump administration, into alleged "unfair trade practices" by Brazil.

However, after meeting Wednesday with representatives of U.S. companies in Brazil, Alckmin said the Brazilian government has no objection to the investigation and urged Washington to work together to "resolve the tariff issue."

Last week, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Brazil, which is governed by leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, partly in response to what he views as a political witch hunt against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial in the Supreme Court for allegedly attempting a coup.

The official letter released Wednesday states that "the Brazilian government expresses its indignation at the announcement" of the measure and warns of its potential economic impact.

"The imposition of tariffs will have a very negative impact on important sectors of both economies, putting at risk a historically strong economic partnership," the one-page text said.

The letter noted that Brazil has been in discussions with U.S. authorities in an effort to find alternatives to improve bilateral trade.

The letter also asked the United States to identify specific areas of concern and noted that, in May, Brazil submitted a confidential proposal aimed at exploring mutually agreed solutions.