Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who is also Minister of Development, Industry and Commerce, revealed on Thursday (24) had kept a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of Commerce (USA), Howard Lutnick, about the imposition of imports of imports against Brazilian products. The conversation took place, according to Alckmin, last Saturday (19). This was the first conversation between high members of the two governments since the announcement of the Taxations to Brazil US President Donald Trump, two weeks ago.
“We had a conversation with the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, a long conversation, which I understand important, putting all points and highlighting Brazil’s interest in negotiation,” he said.
“President Lula has advised negotiation, not having political, or ideological contamination, but focusing on the search for a solution to the commercial issue. And instead of losing and losing inflation in the United States and decreasing our exports to the US market, we reject it, solve problems, increase economic complementarity, productive integration, reciprocal investments, discussed not an extremely agenda. positive, “added the vice president.
Asked by reporters about how the US secretary reacted to the conversation, Alckmin preferred not to go into detail, but classified dialogue as positive. “The conversation was good, it was so good that it was almost 50 minutes and it was profitable. Now, let’s wait, they are institutional conversations, must be reserved, but we had a contact and this is the willingness of the Brazilian government,” he said.
The vice president coordinates the Interministerial Committee on Economic and Commercial Trading and Counterfeit Created by the Federal Government to face the US-imposed tariff, scheduled to take effect in a week on August 1st. Since last week, Geraldo Alckmin has met with different sectors that are among the most affected by the tariff, from industry to agribusiness.
Earlier, this Thursday, he met with representatives of the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais (Fiemg), the Taurus Arms company and the National Association of Arms and Authority Industry (Aniam). The sector is a major exporter for the US market. Alckmin also met with the Institute for Retail Development (IDV).
At a meeting at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Brazilian government stated that commercial sanctions cannot be used to affect the sovereignty of countries. In the letter sent to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on July 9, Trump also justified the measure by citing former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is a defendant in the Supreme Court (STF) for attempted coup; He asks Bolsonaro for amnesty.
On different occasions, President Lula said that Brazil will adopt reciprocity measures Against the Unilateral US tariffs, if they are confirmed and remain. So far, however, no specific decision has been adopted. Any announcement is expected to occur only from the entry into force of the rates.
