Will call Modi, Xi, but not Trump: Brazil's Lula da Silva on tariff dispute

Rejecting Donald Trump's offer to call him, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that to defend its interests, Rio De Janeiro would use all available resources, including the WTO

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday (local time) turned down US President Donald Trump’s offer to call him anytime to discuss tariffs, saying he would prefer to call Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Chinese President Xi Jinping.

 

Speaking at an event in Brasilia, Lula rejected Trump’s offer and said that to defend its interests, Rio De Janeiro would instead use all available resources, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO), local media reported. He elaborated on the reason for not calling Trump, mentioning that the US leader “does not want to talk”, adding, “I will call Xi Jinping, I will call Prime Minister Modi. I won’t call Putin, because he can’t travel now. But I will call many Presidents.”

 

He further said, “In 2025, we will resort to all possible measures, starting with the WTO, to defend our interests...In fact, the government was already taking action to strengthen foreign trade and generate new opportunities for domestic companies before the change of administration in the United States.” 

 

What’s behind Lula’s snub to Trump?

 

Lula da Silva’s remarks come at a time when Rio De Janeiro’s ties with Washington have strained after the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Brazil. These tariffs were imposed to fight what Trump calls a “witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial in Brazil on charges of plotting a coup after his election loss in 2022.

 

Lula da Silva also recalled the day when Donald Trump announced a 50 per cent tariff rate, calling it “the most regrettable” time in the bilateral relation of the two nations. He hinted that the Brazilian government is already taking action to boost foreign trade with other countries, including Brics nations. 

 

Will Lula’s invite thaw tensions with Trump?

 

Despite the escalating tensions between the two countries, Lula da Silva said that he would still invite Trump to COP30 to find out his opinion on the climate change issue. He said, “I will not call Trump because he does not want to talk...You can be sure, I will call Trump to invite him to COP30 and find out his opinion on the climate issue. I will be kind enough to call him.”

“If he doesn’t attend, it’s because he doesn’t want to – but it won’t be for lack of education, friendliness, or democracy,” he said.

 

Earlier on Friday, Trump said that his Brazilian counterpart can call him anytime to discuss tariffs and other frictions between the two nations. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said, “He can talk to me anytime he wants”, adding that he is fond of Brazilian people; however, the people running Brazil did the wrong thing.