Trump insists that Brazil 'change course' and Lula strikes back: 'Unacceptable blackmail'

In another episode of the escalation between Brazil and the United States, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday described as "unacceptable blackmail" the tariff threat to his country by Donald Trump, who hours earlier had insisted that the leftist government "change course" and "stop attacking" his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

On July 9, the Republican announced punitive tariffs of 50% on Brazilian goods, which he justified as a response to a “witch hunt” against former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial over an alleged attempted coup in 2022.

Under the title “Sovereign Brazil” and in a nationally televised address, leftist President Lula called some Brazilian politicians who "support" Trump’s pressure on the Brazilian economy “traitors to the homeland.”

"It is not a 'gringo' who is going to give orders to this president," the president had said earlier in an official act. However, Lula also reaffirmed that he will continue to "bet on good commercial and diplomatic relations."

Earlier Thursday, Trump had insisted that Lula's government "change course" and "stop attacking" Bolsonaro, in a letter to the former Brazilian president that he released on his Truth Social platform.

Bolsonaro faces trial before the supreme court for allegedly trying to prevent Lula's inauguration, after the Workers' Party leader was proclaimed the winner of the 2022 elections. If found guilty, he could receive up to 40 years in prison.

"Terrible treatment"

"I have seen the terrible treatment you are receiving at the hands of an unjust system that has turned against you. This trial must end immediately!" wrote Trump in the letter to Bolsonaro. "I have strongly expressed my disapproval, both publicly and through our tariff policy," he added.

The 79-year-old Republican says he is "very concerned about the attacks on free speech, both in Brazil and in the United States, coming from the current administration."

He appeared to allude to a judicial block in Brazil of Rumble, a video-sharing platform popular among conservative groups, which refused to suspend the account of a Brazilian user residing in the United States wanted for spreading disinformation.

According to Trump's threat, if Brazil and the US do not reach an agreement, Washington will impose a 50% tariff on all products coming from Latin America's largest economy.

In an attempt to avoid this, Lula's government this week sent a letter to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in which it says it is "ready to dialogue and negotiate a mutually acceptable solution."