Brazil, US resume talks on Trump tariffs

Brazil's government said Monday that it had resumed talks with the United States over trade tariffs imposed by Washington.

The United States imposed two new sets of tariffs on Brazil in July, charging 25% on some goods and 12.5% on others. Washington said the measures were linked to unfair trade practices and the use of forced labor.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a fourth term in October elections, has accused the United States of using the tariffs to interfere in the campaign. Lula is running against Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro, a close ally of US President Donald Trump.

Lula says the levies are an attempt to sway voters toward his Washington-aligned opponent. During a recent call with Trump, Lula said the grounds for the tariffs were “based on a lie.”

In a follow-up call Monday with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Trade Minister Marcio Elias Rosa reiterated Brazil's objections to what they called “discriminatory” tariffs. They also said Brasilia was ready to continue talks.

The Brazilian government said this was the second time in as many years that the United States had imposed steep tariffs on Brazil. It said last year's tariffs, imposed after Jair Bolsonaro was sent to prison on coup-plotting charges, were largely reversed later.