Paulo Kliass: "Trump attacks Brazil because he fears BRICS and the end of US hegemony"
According to the economist, "Trump does not accept a multipolar world. His offensive against BRICS aims to prevent de-dollarization and maintain US dominance."
247 - In an interview with the program Brasil Agora, on TV 247, economist Paulo Kliass pointed to the attacks by US President Donald Trump on Brazil as part of a broader strategy to contain the emergence of a new geopolitical axis led by the BRICS countries. "Trump is at war with any attempt to weaken the dominance of the dollar in international trade. And Brazil, along with China, Russia, South Africa, and India, is at the center of this dispute," he stated.
Trump declared that Brazil “has not been good to the United States” and imposed new trade tariffs, publicly endorsing the narrative that Jair Bolsonaro is suffering “political persecution.” For Kliass, this is an unacceptable violation of Brazilian sovereignty: “Trump crossed all diplomatic lines. It is not up to him to interfere in the internal judicial processes of another country. This is a gesture of imperial arrogance.”
The economist also highlighted that Brazil maintains a trade surplus with China, but has a historical deficit with the US, importing much more than it exports. "Trump speaks harshly to Brazil even though the trade balance favors the United States. It's pure political blackmail to try to isolate Brazil on the international stage, especially given its growing prominence in BRICS and its defense of multilateralism."
According to Kliass, Trump's attacks add to the internal "neoliberal crusade," represented by sectors of the National Congress and the current board of directors of the Central Bank.
“We are living through a paradox: while Brazil is regaining respect abroad, here at home economic policy is still held hostage by financial interests. The government needs to break with this logic of high interest rates and submission to the market.”
Kliass reiterated his support for taxing the super-rich as a way to ensure fiscal justice and reverse decades of inequality. He criticized the exemption of profits and dividends, the regressive structure of the Brazilian tax system, and the government's retreat on the collection of IOF (tax on financial transactions) on foreign investments. “While those at the base of the pyramid pay taxes even on a kilo of rice, billionaires remain shielded. This is unacceptable. The system is designed to protect the top—and that's what we need to change.”
The economist also issued a warning: “Brazil cannot falter. There is an ongoing offensive against our sovereignty project. Whether through tariff threats from Washington or internal sabotage of the development model. Defending Brazil is also defending BRICS, democracy, and the fight against inequality.”
