Lula says Trump “recognized” error in tariff on Brazil

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), candidate for re-election, stated this Friday (21.Aug.2026) that the President of the United States, Donald Trump (Republican Party), “recognized” that the tariff imposed on Brazil was based on incorrect information. According to the PT member, the two spoke for 1h30 this Friday.

“Today I spoke to Trump for an hour and a half. An hour and a half”said Lula at Praça da Estação, in the center of Belo Horizonte (MG), in a meeting with federal deputy Patrus Ananias, PT candidate for the Government of Minas Gerais.

Lula said he directly challenged the justification used by the United States to impose tariffs on Brazilian products.

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“The taxation you imposed on Brazil is not only an unrealistic taxation, but it was based on a lie. You said that there was deforestation in Brazil and in Brazil we have the lowest deforestation in history. And you said that there was slave labor and we fought slave labor. So it is untrue”declared the PT member about his speeches to the republican.

Lula stated that Trump agreed with his arguments and ordered members of the 2 governments to move forward in negotiations.

“He recognized it and today he asked the Secretary of Commerce to call us and a meeting was scheduled”these.

The PT member also stated that he proposed joint action between the two countries against criminal organizations, but said he told Trump that Brazil will not accept external interference.

“Hey, Trump, if you want to fight organized crime, let’s fight organized crime”he stated. “Now, we want to work together. What we don’t want is interference in Brazil.”

The president also said that he suggested, during a call with United States President Donald Trump, a meeting between world leaders at the Republican’s mansion in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, to discuss solutions to international conflicts.

ACT IN MINES

The statements were made in an act that marked the beginning of Patrus Ananias’ campaign for Palácio Tiradentes. Former mayor of the capital of Minas Gerais, Patrus was chosen by the PT after senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB) withdrew from running for state government.

Ricardo Stuckert/PT – 21.ago.2026

In the image, President Lula holding hands with Patrus Ananias, candidate for the Government of Minas Gerais (right), and with the vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin (left), at Praça da Estação, in Belo Horizonte

At the event, Lula also defended a policy of industrialization of Brazilian strategic minerals. The president stated that the country is willing to establish partnerships with China, the United States and European countries, but defended that the processing of raw materials be carried out in Brazil.

“We want to work together with you. We want to share the minerals with the world, but they have to be transformed in Brazil and the added value placed within Brazil”, these.

“We don’t want to sell ore to you and buy chips. We don’t want to sell ore and buy batteries for an electric car. No, we want to make the battery here, we want to make the chip here to generate quality jobs for our people”he stated.

The defense of the industrialization of minerals is also part of Patrus’s speech in the state campaign. This week, the candidate defended that rare earths extracted in Minas Gerais be processed in Brazil before export, as a way of adding value to production.

CONVERSATIONS WITH XI JINPING AND PUTIN

Lula also stated that he had recently spoken with the president of China, Xi Jinping (PCCh, left), and of Russia, Vladimir Putin (United Russia, right). According to the Brazilian, the dialogue dealt with international conflicts and the need to expand peace negotiations.

“This week I’m fed up with these wars. I’m fed up with this bravado”he declared.

When reporting the conversations with the leaders, Lula stated that he intends to defend greater diplomatic action to end conflicts.

“The world needs peace, it doesn’t need war. The world needs love, it doesn’t need hate”he declared.