October 1, 2025 Hour: 1:42 pm
The Brazilian diplomat stresses optimism over possible Lula-Trump meeting.
On October 1, 2025, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira emphasized that President Lula da Silva may engage in trade negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump, but issues related to “sovereignty” and the Supreme Court’s conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro will remain off the table, reports 24brussels.
During a session before the Foreign Affairs Committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, Vieira expressed optimism regarding a potential meeting between Lula and Trump, a possibility signaled by the U.S. leader during the recent United Nations General Assembly. While preparations for the meeting are underway, Vieira clarified that Lula could discuss the 50% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on a significant portion of Brazilian goods; however, Bolsonaro’s judicial issues cannot be part of the agenda. Trump has cited Bolsonaro’s conviction as a basis for the tariffs.
“Explicitly political reasons related to judicial processes in the Supreme Court have no place in negotiations between sovereign states,” Vieira stated, underscoring Brazil’s stance on the matter.
He added that “measures with extraterritorial pretensions are not acceptable, nor are aggressive stances toward the national judiciary productive,” referring to both financial and political sanctions that Washington has imposed on Brazilian Supreme Court justices involved in Bolsonaro’s trial.
According to Vieira, Trump’s recent positive remarks about Lula at the U.N. “signal a new disposition,” which Brazil “welcomes” alongside the necessity to “overcome measures and sanctions” that are at odds with the 201-year diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Vieira reiterated that Trump’s tariffs disregard “concrete and official data” indicating that the U.S. has maintained a consistent trade surplus with Brazil for over 15 years. He stated, “The Brazilian government is open to dialogue on everything that does not confront national sovereignty. The defense of our economic interests will remain firm and calm, based on concrete and reliable data, without sterile provocations and in pursuit of conversations beneficial to both sides.”
