President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday, Sept. 4, that he had told U.S. President Donald Trump that Brazil accepts no one's interference in its elections. He made the remarks in an interview with Rádio Progresso, a radio station in Juazeiro do Norte, in the northeastern state of Ceará, one month before the first round of Brazil's presidential election.
Asked whether he saw a possibility of U.S. interference in this year's vote, the president answered:
"If there is, it will lose. I told Trump this. We do not accept anyone's interference in the elections. And if it comes in, it will lose. If there is, it will lose," Lula said.
The 80-minute phone call
Lula and Trump spoke by phone in late August. The call lasted one hour and 20 minutes and was requested by the Brazilian president, according to G1. The Planalto, the presidential palace, described the conversation as "friendly and cordial." During the call, Trump asked about the October elections, and Lula called the U.S. justifications for the recently imposed tariffs on Brazilian products "unfounded."
According to Brazilian diplomatic sources cited by G1, Lula told Trump that Brazil's electoral process is running well and reliably. The sources described the exchange as casual and said it did not amount to a demand for explanations. Trump raised no speculation about Brazil's voting system or its electronic voting machines. Aides present at the call told the Reuters news agency that the election topic came up only in passing.
Tariffs and renewed negotiations
The United States recently announced two additional duties on Brazilian goods sold in its market: 25%, based on the White House's view that Brazil applies unfair practices against American businesses in six sectors, including the Pix payment system, deforestation, intellectual property and ethanol, and 12.5%, applied to dozens of countries including Brazil over alleged failures to block goods made with forced labor. In response, Brazil took the case to the World Trade Organization, arguing it had been treated in a discriminatory way.
After the call between the two presidents, the countries resumed negotiations. Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Development, Industry and Trade Minister Márcio Elias Rosa held a virtual meeting on Monday, Aug. 31, with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. In a joint statement, the ministries said Brazil rejects the "discriminatory" and "unfair" treatment of its products and remains "open" to dialogue.
In Friday's interview, Lula said he has a good relationship with Trump and played down the effect of the tariffs. "If the U.S. doesn't want to buy from us, am I going to cry and whine? No, I will look for whoever wants to buy," he said. He said bilateral trade fell after the taxation, but Brazilian exports grew in 17 countries, by more than 10% in every country he visited, according to the president. "We need to be very respected. My relationship with Trump is good," he added.
The first round of the election is scheduled for Oct. 4, with a possible runoff later in the month. On trade, the U.S. government has said it is "available" to talk, but has not said whether the tariffs will be reversed. Brazilian diplomats say privately that they do not expect a WTO decision to roll back the surcharges, but see the complaint as a way to put Brazil's position on record before the international community.