Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday that his government is considering reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods after Washington imposed a 50% duty on Brazilian imports earlier this month.
“This is a process that takes some time,” Lula told Rádio Itatiaia. “We have to tell the United States that we also have actions we can take against them.”
The move would mark the first test of Brazil’s new reciprocity law, unanimously approved by Congress in April. The legislation authorizes the government to adopt retaliatory measures against unilateral trade actions deemed harmful to Brazilian competitiveness.
The Chamber of Foreign Trade (Camex) has 30 days to decide on a response. If approved, trade specialists will draft proposals, with Brazil’s Foreign Ministry formally notifying Washington during the process.
U.S. President Donald Trump justified the tariff, which took effect on Aug. 6, as a political measure, citing what he described as judicial persecution of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2023, faces multiple investigations, including allegations that he sought to overturn the 2022 election won by Lula.
Despite the standoff, Lula said he remains open to dialogue. “I’m not in a hurry. What I want is to negotiate,” he added. Brazil has already filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The United States maintains a trade surplus with Brazil. Bilateral trade in goods and services reached nearly $127.6 billion in 2024, up from the previous year.
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