“The reason for all the anger is the BRICS,” says Kátia Abreu, commenting on Trump's aggression.
Former Agriculture Minister asserts that the advance of the bloc led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is at the root of Trump's attack on the country.
247 - Former Minister of Agriculture and former Senator Kátia Abreu attributed the tariff attack by US President Donald Trump to the strategic advancement of the BRICS. In a comment published on social media this Thursday, the 10th, Kátia stated that the reason behind Trump's "bravery" is not the lawsuits against Jair Bolsonaro or the decisions of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), but rather the strengthening of the economic bloc that has been challenging Western hegemony.
The former minister's statement introduces a new geopolitical perspective into the debate sparked by Trump's extreme measure, which involved sending a letter to President Lula informing him of a 50% tariff on all Brazilian exports to the United States. Trump's official justification is that Brazil is persecuting his ally Jair Bolsonaro and punishing American technology companies through the judiciary—allegations considered absurd and unacceptable by several Brazilian authorities.
In Kátia Abreu's view, however, the real motivation would be the fear of the BRICS' advance as a pole of global economic and political power, especially given the possibility of creating their own payment system, similar to SWIFT — an international banking network controlled mainly by Western countries. The proposal for an alternative system by the BRICS has been discussed to reduce dependence on the dollar in international transactions and strengthen the financial sovereignty of member countries.
Kátia's speech echoes a growing sentiment among political and economic leaders in the Global South that Trump's aggressiveness is connected to a movement to contain the emergence of a new multipolar order. With the entry of new members into the bloc, the BRICS have expanded their geoeconomic projection, which has generated discomfort among Western powers.
Although Trump has stated that his measure aims to defend American interests, experts and politicians point out that the decision represents an unjustifiable form of pressure and interference in Brazil's internal affairs, especially by attempting to interfere in the decisions of the Judiciary. The Brazilian government has already indicated that it will respond accordingly, based on the principle of reciprocity.
With her statement, Kátia Abreu broadens the scope of the analysis, pointing out that the dispute waged by Trump is not limited to isolated episodes, but is part of a larger battle: that of the future of global governance. In this context, the strengthening of the BRICS represents a direct threat to the old order that Trump, with his aggressive and isolationist rhetoric, desperately tries to preserve.
