Gleisi celebrates Brazil's "rare unity" against Trump's tariffs and points to Bolsonaro's betrayal: "he was never a patriot"
According to the minister, Bolsonaro and his allies acted "deliberately against the country" by trying to block the reciprocity law amidst the US tariff hikes.
247 - In a forceful statement published on social media this Thursday (3), the Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann (PT), hailed the unity between the Lula (PT) government, the National Congress and the business sector in the face of the announcement of new trade tariffs by the United States against Brazil. The minister denounced, however, the stance of the Bolsonaro opposition, which tried to prevent the approval of economic defense legislation. “Bolsonaro’s subservience was a known fact, but it has never been so clear that he is deliberately acting against the country he governed and swore to defend,” she wrote.
The statements were prompted by the latest move by US President Donald Trump, who, in a speech at the White House on Wednesday (2), announced the application of “reciprocal” 10% tariffs on Brazilian products. “Brazil. Ten percent, ten percent,” Trump said while displaying a sign with a list of countries and the percentages that the US will start charging. The measure is part of a broader trade confrontation strategy, which hits countries like China (34%) and the European Union (20%) harder.
"All together for Brazil, except for Jair Bolsonaro's group" In the publication, Gleisi highlighted the joint effort between the Executive, Legislative, and business entities to respond to external threats. According to her, this institutional alignment is a rare moment in Brazilian politics. "Brazil is experiencing a moment of rare unity in the face of Donald Trump's tariff hikes, which are disrupting global trade and affecting our country's exports," she stated.
The minister also highlighted the approval of the reciprocity law, which allows Brazil to react to unilateral measures that affect its foreign trade. Gleisi denounced that "Jair Bolsonaro's group" acted to sabotage the project. "They tried to prevent the Chamber from voting on the reciprocity law, which will allow for responses to external measures that harm the country," she wrote.
Gleisi also criticized Bolsonaro's argument that Brazil should actually reduce its tariffs. "They ignore the fact that the country's largest trade deficit is precisely with the US, our second-largest trading partner," she countered. According to the minister, this position reveals an ideological submission to Trump. "He was never a patriot. Brazil and our people are greater than Bolsonaro's interests," she concluded.
Trump hardens his tone against international trade. In his speech at the White House, Donald Trump justified the new round of tariffs with the protectionist rhetoric that marks his second term. "The U.S. cannot continue with the policy of unilateral economic surrender. We cannot pay for other countries' deficits. We pay for everything, they are the ones who have to pay," he declared. "We are defending the American worker," he added.
Although Brazil is among the countries least affected by the new tariffs, the measure had an immediate impact in Brasília. The federal government began treating the issue as a priority and sought parliamentary support to quickly enable an institutional response. The reciprocity law approved by Congress is seen as the main instrument of national defense in the face of the new trade rules imposed by Washington.
