Trump has declared war on Brazil, and Lula's government is reaching its decisive moment, says Alysson Mascaro.
Legal expert warns that Trump's sanctions against Alexandre de Moraes are an act of war and require a firm reaction from Brazil.
247 - The jurist and professor Alysson Mascaro offered a forceful analysis of the escalating tensions between Brazil and the United States during an interview with journalist Leonardo Attuch, editor of TV 247. He described the recent sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump's administration against Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as an act of war that places the country at a political turning point.
According to Mascaro, the American offensive is not aimed solely at an individual authority, but at the Brazilian state itself. "Trump has declared war on Brazil," he said, warning that the episode marks a decisive moment for President Lula's government.
The escalation of the geopolitical conflict
In the interview, Mascaro highlighted that geopolitical time tends to move more slowly than domestic politics, but that the world is currently going through a period of historical acceleration. He recalled that the United States, in decline from hegemony since the 2008 crisis, has failed to prevent the growth of powers like China and Russia, nor the strengthening of blocs like the BRICS.
According to the jurist, the sanctions against Brazil and the 50% tariff on Brazilian products symbolize the use of the "stick" of imperialism, replacing the "carrot" policy – when the US sought to convince allies with economic and ideological incentives. "When you abandon the carrot and resort to the stick, it's because the empire is in decline," he stated.
A challenge for Lula and the Brazilian bourgeoisie.
Mascaro observed that the moment demands a strategic decision from the Lula government: to confront or yield to external pressures. He pointed out that the Brazilian bourgeoisie, historically subservient to the interests of the United States, may seek a compromise to preserve its privileges, even in the face of the risk of economic losses.
The legal expert also warned that if the escalation continues, Brazil may be forced to strengthen ties with China, Russia, and countries of the Global South, building financial and commercial alternatives outside the orbit of the dollar and the Western system. "If the United States doubles down, Brazil will have to reorganize its economic and political sovereignty," he concluded. Watch:
