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Trump and Lula Signal Thawing Relations After Tariff Tensions

Washington D.C. – Relations between the United States and Brazil appear to be warming after a period of economic and political strain, signaled by a productive phone call between President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday. The call, described as “productive” by both sides, focused on reducing trade barriers and bolstering cooperation in the fight against organized crime.

The shift comes after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on some Brazilian exports in August, following protests related to the trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The US also imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on one of the members of Brazil’s Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, who played a prominent role in the Bolsonaro investigation. Lula blasted Trump for interfering in Brazil’s court system and compared the tariffs to “blackmail”.

However, a turning point appears to have occurred at the UN General Assembly in September, where the two leaders shared a surprisingly warm embrace. Trump subsequently announced he would roll back some of the tariff hikes on Brazilian agricultural products.

During Tuesday’s call, Lula praised the tariff rollback and stressed the need for further negotiations to address remaining trade barriers. Trump, in turn, indicated he had discussed sanctions on Brazilian dignitaries. The US is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner behind China.

A key focus of the conversation was enhanced collaboration on combating organized crime. Trump has made tackling Latin American criminal networks a central tenet of his foreign policy, even launching controversial military strikes in the region. Lula, facing pressure to address crime within Brazil, echoed the need for stronger legislation and expressed commitment to working with the US to dismantle criminal networks.

The renewed dialogue suggests a potential realignment of US-Brazil relations after Trump’s close ties with Lula’s predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Both leaders expressed optimism about the future of the partnership and committed to further communication.

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