WASHINGTON/USA – 01/20/2025 – President Donald Trump meets voters at the arena and dance celebrating signing of decrees revocation. Photo: GPO/ PUBLIC PHOTOS

In one of his early acts as president of the United States, Donald Trump was not long to demonstrate the unilateralist direction of his foreign policy. Asked by TV Globo’s reporter Raquel Krähenbühl about the relationship with Brazil and Latin America, Trump stated categorically: “They need us, much more than we need them. We don’t need them. They need us. Everyone needs us. ”

The statement, made at the Oval Hall while Trump signed his first presidential decrees, was received with caution by leaders and analysts. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva adopted a conciliatory stance, reaffirming the importance of a relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation. “Relations between Brazil and the US are marked by a trajectory of cooperation, based on mutual respect and a historical friendship,” Lula wrote on his social networks.

Reactions in Brazil and abroad

Despite the diplomatic tone adopted by Lula, Trump’s statements raised concern behind the scenes of the Brazilian government. Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that each step will be carefully analyzed and that the focus will be on convergences between the two countries. “He [Trump] You can say whatever he wants, he is a US president. We will try to support and work not the divergences, but the convergences, which are many, ”he said.

Political analysts assess that Trump’s aggressive stance can be a challenge for Latin American countries, especially those with significant dependence on commercial relations with the United States. James Naylor Green, Brazilianist and professor at Brown University, pointed out, in an interview with Portal Redthat Trump’s statements are part of a broader political strategy to intimidate and confuse his opponents: “Part of Trump’s political strategy is to make ultrajating comments to intimidate his opponents and confuse his opposition. In this case, it is part of your speech about returning the United States to a great (imperial) power. ”

James Green, Brasilianist

Green also pointed out that although Trump signaled the possibility of dramatically increasing tariffs on Brics such as Brazil, China and India, there are doubts about the proposal, which reflects more brave than a viable plan. “If he actually implements his plan to dramatically increase tariffs on the BRICS countries (up to 100 percent), he will almost immediately face a dramatic increase in prices, which, according to many analyzes, will create inflation that he promised to reduce . ”

The Trump-Putin relationship and the challenges for the BRICS

Trump has a peculiar history in relations with Brics countries. While openly criticizes China, treated as the main economic and geopolitical opponent of the United States, maintains an ambiguous stance in relation to Russia. Green points out that the Republican has shown unusual proximity to Vladimir Putin, something unprecedented for American leaders in the post-cold postwar context. “There is something very strange in this relationship. While Trump insists that China is enemy, it maintains narrow ties with Putin, suggesting that it will not impose high tariffs on all BRICS countries, ”he says.

This dynamic, according to Green, may indicate that Trump will not impose excessively high tariffs on all Brics countries, preserving their political and economic interests. The possible application of rates to Brazil would generate political and economic implications for both countries. Brazilian agribusiness, a sector aligned with former President Jair Bolsonaro, a declared ally of Trump, could suffer severely from the measures. “This indicates that many of Trump’s statements can be bluff and fanfaronice,” says the professor.

THE FUTURE OF BRAZIL-EUA RELATIONSHIPS

With the beginning of Trump’s mandate, Brazil faces the challenge of balancing commercial interests with the need to resist unilateral impositions. Lula’s diplomatic stance and Itamaraty’s pragmatic discourse can be fundamental to avoid unnecessary tensions and preserve ties between the two countries.

Trump’s early actions suggest a unilateralist foreign policy that can increase pressure on Latin American countries. Protectionist rhetoric and possible commercial friction require Brazil to balance its economic interests with the need to resist unilateral impositions.

For analysts, Trump’s aggressive tone reflects both the attempt to reaffirm the United States as a global power and a domestic political strategy to please their electoral basis. However, measures such as increased tariffs can have significant side effects for both the US and their business partners.

While Trump reinforces his American supremacy rhetoric, Latin American countries will need to join to negotiate in better conditions and avoid setbacks in their relations with the United States. The future of bilateral relationships will largely depend on the ability on both sides to find convergences and overcome differences. In this scenario, countries such as Brazil should bet on diplomacy and dialogue to navigate the uncertainties that mark the new chapter of relations with Washington.

Source: vermelho.org.br



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