Brazil Condemns US Tariffs, Plans Legal Action at WTO

The Brazilian government has denounced new US tariffs on its products as detrimental to bilateral relations, vowing to challenge the decision at the WTO. President Lula da Silva's administration argues the tariffs lack justification and plans reciprocal actions under Brazil's Reciprocity Law to safeguard national interests.

The Brazilian government has issued a sharp rebuke against the United States for its decision to slap a 25 percent tariff on Brazilian imports. Describing the move as a 'lamentable milestone' in bilateral relations, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration vowed to defend Brazil's economic interests using international legal avenues.

Brasilia signaled its intention to challenge the tariff imposition at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), leveraging Brazil’s recently passed Reciprocity Law as a framework for potential countermeasures. Official statements rejected Washington’s justification under Section 301 of the US Trade Act, highlighting discrepancies between US claims and trade data.

Notably, Brazilian authorities cited a consistent US trade surplus and underscored that a significant portion of US exports entered Brazil duty-free in 2025. It emphasized that domestic economic controversies, such as the nation's digital payment system and environmental policies, were backed by technical evidence against US allegations.