It's time for extraordinary credits to counter Trump's tariff hikes.

The 50% tariff increase imposed by Donald Trump on Brazilian products, which comes into effect on August 1, 2025, casts a shadow over our economy and demands firm responses. In an interview, the president of the TCU (Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts), Vital do Rêgo, defends diplomatic dialogue, but points to extraordinary credits as a crucial tool to protect agribusiness and industry. "The cost is abnormally high because nobody caused it," he states.

I fully agree with this thought: it is precisely for situations that endanger the national economy that the option of resorting to extraordinary resources exists. Provided for in Article 167, §3 of the Constitution, these resources address urgent and unforeseen expenses, such as global crises, without being subject to the fiscal framework of Complementary Law 200/2023 or the ceiling of Constitutional Amendment 95/2016, guaranteeing essential agility.

Unfortunately, not all of Brazil's sons and daughters rejoice in its success. Some, born here but with their souls turned towards foreign interests, do not hesitate to undermine the nation in international disputes. For these opportunists, the government should bail out exporters against abusive tariffs, but never with extraordinary resources – because, for them, those who help should be punished.

This is the economic thinking of flat-earthers. It is politics at its darkest, turning its back on the people and collective progress.

The processing of these credits requires precision: a Provisional Measure (MP), issued by the president, comes into effect immediately. Congress evaluates it within 120 days – 45 in the Chamber of Deputies, 45 in the Senate, extendable by 30 – converting it into law or rejecting it, with actions subject to judicial scrutiny (article 62 of the Federal Constitution). Speed ​​is crucial: exhausting the 120 days would be a disservice; quick decisions strengthen the Union, benefiting everyone.

Given the uncertainty following August 1st, the government is acting responsibly, developing a robust plan to support affected businesses, mitigating revenue losses and layoffs. The Ministries of Finance, Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, the Civil House, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have forged a strategic package, under Lula's review, to neutralize the impacts of Trump's policies.

Sectors like fuel and meat can seek alternative markets, even at lower prices, without state disincentive. The aviation sector, led by Embraer, faces greater challenges: finding alternative buyers is complex, but pressure from American airlines, dependent on its aircraft, may create exceptions. Coffee, with low global stocks, may also escape unscathed.

External crises have already tested this mechanism. The Covid-19 pandemic, which emerged in China in 2019, mobilized R$ 603,7 billion in extraordinary credits in 2020, with R$ 549,64 billion applied to aid, health, and economic support, and R$ 75,91 billion canceled due to under-execution, according to the Senate. Provisional Measures such as 969/2020 allocated R$ 10 billion to health, while 988/2020 allocated R$ 101,6 billion to emergency aid.

The floods in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024, intensified by global climate change, consumed R$ 94,38 billion, through Provisional Measures such as 1.218/2024 (R$ 12,2 billion) and 1.244/2024 (R$ 1,25 billion), according to the Civil House. A Provisional Measure from September released an additional R$ 5,1 billion for reconstruction.

The war in Ukraine, since 2022, has increased fertilizer prices by 68% and fuel prices by 46%, impacting billions in imports, according to Embrapa and ANP, with adjustments via indirect subsidies.

The current tariff hike threatens billions in exports, and extraordinary credits are the right response, outside of fiscal targets. With public debt at 76,1% of GDP in May 2025, according to the Central Bank, moderation is essential, but Vital do Rêgo's proposal is indispensable. I spent 21 years working in the General Secretariat of the Senate; I know that legislative matters of this magnitude need to be implemented urgently – without false legislative battles – because it strengthens Brazil against global storms, in addition to uniting it in defense of a sovereign future.