"Nobody will defeat us with lies," he declares, reiterating his readiness for dialogue, but clarifying that "the destiny of Brazil belongs to Brazilians, without external interference or subordination."

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused the United States of using economic relations as an instrument of political pressure, and reiterated that the government will not accept external interference or attempts to influence the country's democratic process.

In an op-ed published by The Washington Post, Lula characterizes the tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration as a "strategic mistake" that, ultimately, will harm both the US economy and the bilateral relationship.

The president recalls that the first wave of tariffs, announced a year ago, included a reference to the trial regarding the attempted coup d'état against former president Jair Bolsonaro (who was later sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison), cited as proof of the "political motivation" behind the measure.

Lula states that he attempted a negotiated solution through direct contact with Trump and dozens of technical meetings between both administrations, but that, despite this, Washington decided to impose new tariffs ranging between 12.5% and 37.5%.

Brazilian exports to the United States have fallen to their lowest level since 1997.

In the first half of the year, bilateral trade decreased by 12.8%, while trade with the EU grew by 6.1% and with China by 15.9%, he stated, adding that "while the United States closes its market, other countries offer an alternative."

In the article, Lula also criticizes the attempt to subordinate the bilateral relationship to "ideological constraints" or electoral interests.

"Nobody will defeat us with lies," he declares, reiterating his readiness for dialogue, but clarifying that "the destiny of Brazil belongs to Brazilians, without external interference or subordination."