The Lula administration and that of U.S. President Donald Trump held a new round of talks Monday (31) to resume negotiations over U.S. tariffs, following a period of distance between the two sides in recent weeks. During the online meeting, the countries agreed to hold a new ministerial meeting to assess progress in negotiations and technical discussions planned for the coming weeks.
The Brazilian side was represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira and Development, Industry, Trade and Services Minister Márcio Elias Rosa. The U.S. side was represented by U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer. The meeting was convened with the aim of advancing negotiations over recent U.S. decisions to impose new tariffs on Brazilian products.
The White House recently adopted two tariff measures based on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974: a 25% surcharge on some Brazilian exports, following the conclusion of an investigation into unfair trade practices, and an additional 12.5% tariff imposed on Brazil and 59 other economies over alleged failures to enforce a ban on imports of products made with forced labor.
According to a statement released by the Lula administration, the ministers reaffirmed their openness to dialogue with U.S. authorities but reiterated their criticism of the unilateral measures imposed by Washington. They pushed back, for example, against claims involving deforestation and Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system. The ministers said the justifications presented by the U.S. executive branch in the investigation findings “do not correspond to actual Brazilian practices, making the discriminatory treatment adopted against Brazil unfair.”
As a way to continue the dialogue, the sides agreed to meet again at the ministerial level, “at an appropriate date,” to discuss bilateral negotiations that will take place in the coming weeks. The next meetings may be held virtually or in person.
“The Brazilian government reiterates that it will continue pursuing a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement with the U.S., always guided by respect for dialogue and national sovereignty,” Brazil’s officials said in an official statement.
The table below compares the performance of Brazil’s main containerized export cargoes to the United States in the first half of 2026 against the same period a year earlier. The data come from Datamar:
Exports to the United States | H1 2026 vs. H1 2025 | TEUs
Exportações aos EUA | 1H26 -1H25 | TEUs
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | DTM HS4 DESCRIPTION | YTD Value | Last Year | %Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | PLYWOODVENEERED & LAMINATED | 15.741 | 14.725 | 6.9% |
| 2 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | FROZEN BOVINE MEAT | 13.430 | 13.060 | 2.8% |
| 3 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | BUILDING STONE MOSAIC CUBES | 10.701 | 13.840 | -22.7% |
| 4 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | WOOD SAWN OR CHIPPED | 10.344 | 11.003 | -6.0% |
| 5 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | PNEUMATIC TYRES OF RUBBER | 7.599 | 8.325 | -8.7% |
| 6 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | COFFEE BEANS | 5.591 | 8.980 | -37.7% |
| 7 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | BUILDERS JOINERY & CARPENTRY OF WOOD | 5.360 | 7.771 | -31.0% |
| 8 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | CHEMICAL WOOD PULP FOR DISSOLUTION | 5.068 | 5.912 | -14.3% |
| 9 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | UNCOATED PAPER & PAPERBOARD | 4.879 | 6.013 | -18.9% |
| 10 | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | I_write_a_lot | 14/08/2026 06:03 PM | STRIPS OF WOOD | 4.471 | 10.846 | -58.8% |
| DTM HS4 DESCRIPTION | YTD Value | Last Year | %Growth |
Reciprocity Law
After the meeting, Elias Rosa said he was optimistic about reaching a consensus with the U.S. over the tariffs. He said, however, that the discussion did not go into depth on sectors, supply and the content of the measures.
“There is a political commitment, reiterated by both the U.S. government and the Brazilian government, to reach an agreement, and there is recognition that we are facing a new scenario, new terms,” Elias Rosa said.
The Development, Industry, Trade and Services minister said that, despite the criticism of the unilateral measures, it is not in Brazil’s interest for the U.S. to reduce its participation in Brazil’s export agenda. He also said the meeting did not address Brazil’s process of adopting the Reciprocity Law against the U.S.
Source: Valor International