Background on Lula da Silva and Donald Trump
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, and Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, displayed a cordial meeting at the UN General Assembly, surprising observers after months of differences and strained diplomatic relations.
The Deterioration of Relations
The relationship between the two nations began to deteriorate even before Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January of this year. During that presidential campaign, Lula openly expressed his support for the Democrats following a period of good relations between Washington and Brazil. Trump’s threats of sanctions and tariffs on various goods, along with his sympathies towards former President Jair Bolsonaro, further confirmed a diplomatic crisis with few recent precedents in over 200 years of good relations.
Historical Allies with Ideological Differences
Throughout the decades, Brazil and the United States have been significant allies on numerous issues despite ideological differences between their respective administrations. However, the threat of tariffs has put this historic cordiality at risk.
Lula’s Criticism of Trump
Lula has criticized Trump for acting as if he believes himself to be the “emperor of the world” and suspects that the “attack on Brazil’s sovereignty,” alongside India, facing aggressive tariffs, is backed by the shadow of the Bolsonaro family, with one of his sons seeking refuge in the United States and advocating for such coercive measures.
Confirmation of Suspicions
These suspicions were confirmed after Trump targeted sanctions at Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is handling the case against Bolsonaro for alleged attempts at a coup, and ultimately acknowledged in the UN General Assembly that the measures imposed on Brazil were in response to this supposed persecution of opposition.
Diplomatic Efforts and Changing Paradigms
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Itamaraty (Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs) worked on the approach that eventually led to this reconciliation, taking advantage of Trump’s forced flexibility as he struggles with unforeseen consequences in the early stages of his presidency.
- Diplomatic Shift: Trump, facing difficulties with the domestic US market due to reduced Brazilian exports—making Brazil one of its major suppliers—has been compelled to adopt a more diplomatic approach. This shift is evident in Trump’s decision to reach out to Lula, acknowledging the “coffee shortage” caused by decreased Brazilian exports.
- Bolsonarismo’s Shift: The phone call on Monday, with a promise to meet soon, leaves behind the diplomatic impasse in which Brazilian opposition, especially Bolsonaro supporters, initially saw an opportunity for the upcoming presidential elections.
However, Bolsonaro’s condemnation, the denunciation against his son Eduardo for attempting to obstruct investigations from the US, and Itamaraty’s diplomatic efforts have further complicated the path for an opposition struggling to find a suitable candidate to challenge Lula.
