After Trump opened a trade investigation against Brazil, the government launched a campaign: "Pix is ours, my friend."
Advertisement satirizes US investigation into Brazilian payment system and reinforces that Pix is secure and free of charge.
247 - In response to the investigation opened by the United States against Pix, the Brazilian government launched an advertising piece on social media this Wednesday (16).
The image featured the phrase "Pix is ours, my friend," and was accompanied by a message that mocked the offensive from President Donald Trump's administration: "Pix belongs to Brazil and Brazilians! It seems our Pix is causing quite a bit of jealousy abroad, you know? There's even a letter complaining about the existence of our Secure, Confidential, and Fee-Free system."
This was the first official statement from the Lula government after the announcement of the opening of an investigation by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), released the previous night. According to information from FSPIn addition to the campaign, the Brazilian government is already working on a technical response that reinforces the legality and soundness of the payment system, without yielding to international pressure.
Formal opening of the inquiry.
The Brazilian government's investigation began on Tuesday night (15), shortly after the formalization of the US investigation based on Section 301 of the 1974 Commercial Act. According to the USTR, Pix could compromise the competitiveness of US companies in the digital financial sector.
A Sheet It has been determined that it has not yet been decided which Brazilian authority will take the lead in making official statements. However, sources from the Presidential Palace told the newspaper that the tone will be firm, but without creating alarm. The government wants to avoid the spread of rumors about possible changes to Pix, such as those that circulated previously regarding taxation.
The expectation is that the Brazilian response will be coordinated between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministries of Finance, Development, and Justice, as well as the Central Bank. A public hearing is scheduled for September 3rd in Washington.
"Factoid" and symbolic pressure
Members of the Brazilian government interviewed by FSP They believe that the inquiry opened by Washington has more symbolic than practical value. The internal assessment is that the American initiative aims only to pressure Brazil into opening a channel for dialogue. An aide quoted by the newspaper considered the measure a "fabrication."
The interpretation is based on the history of Section 301: since 1974, 130 investigations have been opened based on this provision, but only a small portion have resulted in effective trade sanctions.
Other points of friction with the US
In addition to Pix, the US investigation lists a series of Brazilian practices that, according to the USTR, may be "discriminatory and harmful to US commerce." Among the targets cited are:
- Barriers to e-commerce and digital platforms
- Failures in the protection of intellectual property, with mention of Rua 25 de Março, in São Paulo.
- Preferential rates
- Restrictions on the entry of US ethanol
- Illegal deforestation
- Alleged shortcomings in the application of anti-corruption regulations, with reference to Operation Lava Jato.
The White House document brings together all these issues as justification for the investigation opened against Brazil.
