Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has vigorously denounced the United States' recent trade practices, calling them unilateral and against the spirit of international cooperation.
At a ceremony in São Paulo on Tuesday, Lula lamented Washington's growing resort to tariffs during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
In a report by Xinhua, Lula criticized the U.S. move as an effort to single-handedly redefine global trade norms. "It's like one person believes they can dictate rules for the entire world," Lula said, saying that world trade cannot be directed single-handedly like a huge transatlantic ship. "It won't work," he added.
The Brazilian president directly targeted the U.S. policy of instituting "reciprocal tariffs," saying such actions do not recognize the shifting dynamics of a multipolar era. "There are almost 200 sovereign nations, each one with its voice. The future is multilateral, not isolated," he told reporters.
Lula also made a historical reference, remembering how U.S. President Ronald Reagan and UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher encouraged free trade and publicly rejected protectionism in the 1980s. He declared that the current turn by the U.S. towards protectionism in trade is contrary to those earlier ideals.
The complaint is made amid rising trade tensions between the two nations. The United States—Brazil's second-largest trading partner, after China—is currently raising tariffs on a broad array of Brazilian products. A 10% tariff has been applied to a number of products, along with previous duties imposed on Brazilian steel and aluminum exports.
Lula's comments are reflective of increasing international unease with the U.S.'s unilateral approach to trade, and he called on the global community to act cooperatively toward equitable, balanced, and cooperative economic policies.
Read also| Guterres Cautions Against Trade War-Induced Recession, Hopes for Peaceful Resolution
Read also| Trump Optimistic on Gaza Peace, Netanyahu Pushes for ‘New Deal’ on Hostages
