Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a ministerial meeting to celebrate the first 100 days of his government at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia on April 10, 2023. (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP)
Brasília: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Thursday his country would take "all appropriate measures to defend" itself against import tariffs imposed by US counterpart Donald Trump.
"Faced with the decision of the United States to impose an additional tax on Brazilian products, we will take all appropriate measures to defend our companies and our workers," the leftist leader said at an event in the capital, Brasilia.
Trump on Wednesday announced a 10 percent tariff on imports from Latin America's biggest economy, among a raft of levies on trading partners around the world.
On Wednesday, Lula's government said it "regrets" the additional tariff, and was "evaluating all possible actions to ensure reciprocity in bilateral trade, including recourse to the World Trade Organization."
The South American powerhouse is the second-largest exporter of steel to the United States after Canada, shipping four million tonnes of the metal in 2024.
Brazil imports a large number of steel-based manufactured products from the United States, including industrial machinery, car engines and parts for its aerospace industry.
