Brazil’s President Refuses to Engage Trump Over Tariffs: “I Won’t Humiliate Myself”

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says he sees no reason to initiate direct talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, describing such a move at this time as potentially “humiliating.”

In an interview with Reuters, Lula responded to Washington’s sudden hike in tariffs on Brazilian exports — now as high as 50 percent. While Brazil has no immediate plans to impose retaliatory measures, Lula made it clear he won’t personally reach out to the White House unless he senses a shift in Trump’s willingness to engage.

“The day my intuition tells me Trump is ready to talk, I won’t hesitate to call him,” Lula said. “But right now, my intuition says he’s not interested. And I won’t humiliate myself.”

Despite the severe trade blow, Brazil’s economy — the largest in Latin America — appears resilient enough to weather the shock. That economic strength has given Lula more leverage in resisting U.S. pressure than many of his Western counterparts.

Lula criticized the state of U.S.-Brazil relations, describing them as at their lowest point in 200 years. He linked Trump’s tariffs to political interference, noting they came shortly after Trump demanded the prosecution of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro be dropped. Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2022 election results.

“The Brazilian Supreme Court doesn’t care what Trump says, nor should it,” Lula stated, accusing Bolsonaro of inciting foreign interference. “He’s a traitor to the homeland and should face trial for encouraging Trump’s meddling.”

Referring to the long shadow of U.S. influence in Latin America, Lula added: “We already forgave the U.S. for its role in the 1964 coup. But this isn’t just a minor intrusion. It’s the president of the United States trying to dictate terms to a sovereign country. That’s unacceptable.”

While Lula said he holds no personal grudge against Trump and is open to a possible encounter at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly or the climate summit in November, he expressed concern over Trump’s treatment of fellow leaders — including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — whom Trump reportedly treated with open disrespect during official meetings.