NEW YORK - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has rejected the Trump administration's 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian products and defended the country's democratic institutions and other policies in an opinion piece published in The New York Times on Saturday.
Affirming Brazil's openness to negotiate "anything that can bring mutual benefits," Lula stressed that "Brazil's democracy and sovereignty are not on the table."
In the article titled "Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable," Lula said that while the United States (US) has its legitimate goals such as reindustrialization, resorting to unilateral tariffs is "misguided" and "illogical."
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He pointed out that Washington has recorded a $410 billion surplus in goods and services trade with Brazil over the past 15 years, with nearly three-quarters of its exports entering Brazil duty-free.
He accused the US government of "using tariffs and the Magnitsky Act to seek impunity for former (Brazilian) President Jair Bolsonaro," who was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison on Thursday for attempting a coup, arguing that the measures lack "economic rationale" and are politically motivated.
The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act allows Washington to impose sanctions, including asset freezes, credit card cancellations, and travel bans, on foreign individuals accused of human rights abuses or corruption.
Addressing US accusations over digital censorship, Lula said all platforms are subject to the same laws in Brazil and that regulation aims to protect Brazilians from fraud, disinformation and hate speech. He also defended Brazil's digital PIX instant payment system as promoting financial inclusion.
Refuting US allegations of Brazil's failure to enforce environmental laws, Lula mentioned that the Brazilian government has cut the rate of deforestation in the Amazon by half in the past two years.
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"There are no ideological differences that should prevent two governments from working together in areas where they have common goals," Lula said, adding that Brazil and the United States are "capable of respecting each other and cooperating for the good of Brazilians and Americans."
