President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva gave a nationwide radio and television address this Sunday, the eve of Independence Day, defending Brazil's sovereignty amid trade tensions with the United States. In his speech, Lula criticized the tariffs imposed by the American government, declaring that Brazil "will not be a colony" and that it is a sovereign country.
Without directly mentioning the president of the United States, Donald Trump, Lula stated that Brazil defends free trade and that no foreign country has the right to determine with whom Brazil can buy or sell. "Our decisions belong to us and no one else," the president said in his address.
By decision of Trump's government, part of Brazilian products were taxed at 37.5%. At the end of July, the United States adopted two new additional tariffs on Brazilian exports, including a 25% surcharge imposed under the accusation of alleged unfair trade practices by Brazil.
The address was broadcast approximately one month before the Brazilian elections, as highlighted in the article. The speech had been anticipated by the newspaper O GLOBO on Friday.
