Lula's government is considering breaking patents in response to Trump's tariffs.
In response to the 50% surcharge imposed by Washington, Brazil is considering revoking patents, increasing taxes, and advancing international trade agreements.
247 - The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is considering adopting the breaking of patents as one of the possible responses to the United States' decision to impose an additional 50% tariff on all products exported by Brazil. The measure, announced by President Donald Trump in a letter sent to Lula on Wednesday (9), is expected to take effect on August 1st. The information is from the newspaper The Globe.
In addition to patent revocations, other retaliatory actions are on the table, such as increasing import tariffs on American goods, raising taxes on cultural products—such as films and books—and measures targeting copyright. The government also intends to accelerate trade agreements under negotiation between Mercosur and international partners, especially with the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), by the end of this year.
Trump's letter, considered offensive by Brazilian authorities, attributes the measure to political reasons. The text cites the treatment given by the Brazilian judiciary to former president Jair Bolsonaro and complains about barriers faced by US technology companies in Brazil. A passage in the document also points to an alleged Brazilian trade surplus with the US, a figure that, according to Itamaraty (the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), does not correspond to reality.
In immediate response, the Planalto Palace summoned, for the second time that same day, the chargé d'affaires of the US Embassy in Brasília, Gabriel Escobar. The Secretary for Europe and North America at Itamaraty (the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Maria Luísa Escorel, returned the letter to the diplomat, contesting its contents.
For now, the Brazilian government does not intend to recall its ambassador to Washington, Maria Luiza Viotti. However, according to advisors at the Presidential Palace, Brazil will not agree to discuss internal issues, such as the legal proceedings involving Bolsonaro at the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
The former president, a defendant in court, is accused of leading an attempted coup d'état that culminated in the attacks of January 8, 2023. His trial, along with that of others involved, is scheduled to take place by September of this year.
The final decision on Brazil's response will be made by the beginning of August, a deadline set by the Presidential Palace to coordinate a diplomatic and economic reaction without compromising national industry.
