Lula summons ministers to a meeting in Planalto after the US decision to impose 'new tariffs'

Lula meets with ministers to discuss tariffs President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) called ministers together this Thursday (16) to discuss the government's position on the United States' decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Brazilian products, which is being called the new "tariff". The Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, the Minister of the Civil House, Miriam Belchior, the Minister of Industry, Development and Commerce, Márcio Elias Rosa, and Chancellor Mauro Vieira are meeting at Planalto to discuss the issue with the president. Furthermore, two government statements on the topic are planned after the meeting this afternoon: one at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) and another at the Ministry of Industry, Development and Commerce (MDIC). The United States' decision to impose a new tax on Brazilian products generated a dispute over responsibility for the new "tariff". While the opposition says that there were failures in the negotiation and blames President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), members of the government argue that the determination has an "ideological" and "political" character. President Lula in speech Washington Costa/Ministry of Finance The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) confirmed this Wednesday (15) the proposal for a new "tariff" with an extensive list of exemptions. Items such as oil, coffee and beef will be excluded from the new 25% tariff. The measure comes into force on July 22. ? The decision is the result of a USTR trade investigation that took a year, based on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a mechanism that allows the American government to investigate and combat possible trade barriers in other countries. The Trump administration used a series of arguments to apply the new 25% tariff against Brazil this Thursday (16). The factors indicated by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) vary from economic, legal and even environmental aspects. Although the tariff is an economic measure, the Trump administration has indicated that the measure is political in nature. This can be seen both in the range of arguments used by the USTR, which not only involve economic factors, but also in an accusation by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, that the Lula government "does not negotiate in good faith". Government repudiated decision In a statement released after the announcement, the government classified the decision as a "regrettable milestone" in the relationship between the two countries, and said that it "repudiates the decision" announced this Wednesday. President Lula also stated that he will activate the Reciprocity Law. "There is no justification for unilateral measures against our country. According to statistics from the US government itself, the US has accumulated US$424.5 billion in surplus of goods and services with Brazil in the last 15 years."