Senator Flávio Bolsonaro blamed President Lula for new American tariffs on Brazilian goods, while Lula accused the Bolsonaro family of lobbying the U.S. government.
8:46 PM
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro attributed responsibility for new U.S. tariffs on Brazil to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday, following an announcement by the U.S. Trade Representative's office that concluded a commercial investigation into Brazilian trade practices.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced it would impose a 25% tariff on Brazilian goods. The investigation, which began in 2025, examined practices the U.S. said "burden or restrict" American commerce, citing concerns about Brazil's PIX electronic payment system, illegal deforestation, and intellectual property practices.
Flávio Bolsonaro, a pre-candidate for the presidency, stated the tariff resulted from Lula's "aggressive tone" with the United States. He called for unity among right-wing presidential candidates, including former governors Ronaldo Caiado of the União party and Romeu Zema of the Novo party, to remove Brazil from what he described as the PT's control.
The three candidates attacked Lula over the U.S. measure. Flávio Bolsonaro noted that the Section 301 investigation encompassed more than 60 countries and began well before his visit to the United States in November 2025.
President Lula responded by accusing the Bolsonaro family of acting as "traitors to the nation." He alleged they had lobbied the U.S. government to impose the tariffs and take action against Brazil's PIX system. Lula's accusation stemmed from a trip made by Flávio Bolsonaro and his brother, Representative Eduardo Bolsonaro, to Washington in late May to meet with President Donald Trump and senior administration officials.
Days after those meetings, the U.S. government announced it would designate two major Brazilian criminal organizations—Primeiro Comando da Capital, or PCC, and Comando Vermelho, or CV—as terrorist organizations.
The tariff announcement generated significant online discussion. A data analysis by consultancy Ativaweb DataLab recorded 8.6 million mentions of the topic between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the hours immediately following the USTR announcement. Government-aligned social media profiles sought to link Flávio Bolsonaro to the tariff threat, while Bolsonaro allies worked to refute the connection throughout the day.
A Datafolha survey shows President Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro each at 45 percent support in a potential runoff five months before October elections.
Former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema condemned senator Flávio Bolsonaro's recorded requests for funds from banker Daniel Vorcaro, prompting sharp rebuttals from Bolsonaro allies.
The U.S. Trade Representative concluded a Section 301 investigation, proposing 25% tariffs on most Brazilian imports while exempting coffee, beef, and aircraft.
Brazilian senator and presidential candidate met with Trump in the Oval Office after arriving in Washington, seeking to recover from a scandal involving a disgraced banker.
Brazilian senator continues push for U.S. to designate criminal factions PCC and Comando Vermelho as foreign terrorist organizations.
The senator filed a legal challenge against an AtlasIntel survey showing him trailing Lula in a runoff scenario, citing biased questions.
