President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated on Thursday (May 7), following a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, that teams from both governments are expected to finalize a proposal to resolve the impasse over export tariffs and a trade investigation launched by the US against Brazil last year.

The goal is for a proposal to be presented to the two leaders in about 30 days. Brazil once again called for the closure of the investigation opened under Section 301 of the US Trade Act.

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Lula suggested the creation of a working group coordinated by Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services Márcio Elias Rosa and his American counterpart, so that a proposal can be presented within 30 days.

“Whoever is wrong will give in. If we have to give in, we will give in,” Lula told reporters at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

In the investigation, the US accused Brazil of unfair competition, citing Pix instant mobile payment, tariffs on ethanol, illegal deforestation, and intellectual property protection.

In April of this year, Brazilian officials traveled to the US to provide clarification and defend the country against allegations of unfair trade practices.

The Brazilian government does not recognize the legitimacy of unilateral measures such as Section 301, arguing that they are inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

According to Lula, the issue of Pix was not mentioned during the meeting between the two presidents.

Extended meeting

Lula and Trump met for more than three hours at the White House in Washington, including a lunch hosted by the US president.

In a social media post, Trump stated that he discussed “many topics” with Lula, including trade and tariff issues, and called Lula “a very dynamic president.”

“The meeting was very productive. Our representatives have meetings scheduled to discuss some key points. Further meetings will be scheduled in the coming months, as needed,” wrote the US president.

Lula arrived at the White House shortly after noon (Brasília time). The meeting had been previously arranged by the two countries’ teams, with the expectation of addressing various topics, including trade, the fight against organized crime, geopolitical issues, and critical minerals.

Speaking to journalists, Lula said he left the bilateral meeting feeling very optimistic.

“I believe Brazil is prepared to discuss any issue with any country in the world. There are no off-limits topics. The only things we will not compromise on are our democracy and our sovereignty. Everything else is up for discussion,” the president stated.

Organized crime

During the press conference, Lula announced that the Brazilian government will launch a plan to combat organized crime “next week” and that, in his conversation with Trump, it was agreed that one of the areas of cooperation between the two governments will be working together to financially strangle transnational criminal organizations operating in Brazil and the US.

“We need to destroy the financial power of organized crime and the factions,” argued the Brazilian president.

According to Finance Minister Dario Durigan, teams from the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service and their US counterparts are expected to conduct joint operations to combat the smuggling of weapons and other goods, including the illegal trafficking of synthetic drugs originating in the US.

Lula said they did not specifically address criminal factions operating in Brazil, such as Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital. The US government is considering designating Brazilian factions as terrorist groups, which, in the assessment of Brazil and experts, poses a risk to sovereignty and does not aid in the fight against crime.

In April, Brazil and the United States had already announced a mutual cooperation agreement aimed at combating international arms and drug trafficking.

The partnership provides for the sharing of information on seizures made at customs in both countries in order to facilitate swift investigations into patterns, routes, and links between senders and recipients of illicit goods.

Rare earths

Another topic discussed at the meeting between Lula and Trump was investment in the exploration of critical minerals and rare earths, which are essential for the manufacture of electronic components in high-tech equipment.

At the press conference, Lula said he had informed Trump of the approval, on Wednesday (6), of the law establishing the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals (PNMCE).

The bill provides, among other things, for the creation of a committee or council responsible for defining which minerals are critical and strategic for the country.

With approximately 21 million tons, Brazil’s rare earth reserves are the second largest in the world, trailing only China, which holds approximately 44 million tons. However, only about 25 percent of the national territory has been mapped, indicating enormous untapped potential.

“Brazil is open to building partnerships with anyone who wants them. What we don’t want is to be mere exporters of these resources. We don’t want to repeat what happened with silver in Latin America, with gold in Brazil, or with iron ore - which we export in large quantities - when we could have carried out domestic processing but failed to do so. So, with rare earths, we’re going to change our approach,” the president assured.

Revoked visas

Lula said he had handed Trump a list of Brazilian officials and their family members who are still subject to US visa restrictions imposed in retaliation for the trial related to the attempted coup in Brazil.

Part of the visa suspension has reportedly been lifted, but some individuals remain subject to sanctions, including, according to Lula, the 10-year-old daughter of Health Minister Alexandre Padilha and some justices of the Federal Supreme Court.

The presidential delegation included Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira; Minister of Justice and Public Security Wellington César; Finance Minister Dario Durigan; Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services Márcio Elias Rosa; Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira; and Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues.

Background

Since 2025, trade relations between Brazil and the United States have been marked by tensions stemming from the tariff policy adopted by President Donald Trump, who has revived protectionist measures already seen during his first term.

The cycle of disputes began with the imposition of 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, directly affecting Brazil, one of the main suppliers of these products to the US market.

The justifications presented by the US for these measures combined economic and political arguments.

There was also criticism of the Brazilian Supreme Court in the context of the judiciary’s decisions related to the case against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was involved in the coup attempt that culminated on January 8, 2023.

In April, the United States imposed additional tariffs on various Brazilian products, citing a lack of trade reciprocity. The Brazilian government intensified diplomatic efforts and, later, brought the issue before the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In addition, Brazil strengthened some of its legal instruments, such as reciprocity and retaliation measures, in an attempt to prevent further escalation by the US government.

In late 2025 and early this year, the United States partially rolled back its tariffs, exempting certain products and replacing the higher tariffs with a temporary flat rate of about 10 percent. Sectors such as steel and aluminum, however, continue to face high tariffs.

Brazil and Germany signed a joint declaration of intent on Monday (Apr. 20) in Hannover to expand scientific and technological cooperation in critical and strategic minerals, which are considered essential for the energy transition and the development of emerging technologies.

The deal was inked during an official visit by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who met with the European country’s Federal Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.

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The agreement, signed between Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, lays the groundwork for intensifying joint efforts in research, development, and innovation across the entire production chain of these materials.

Critical minerals are essential to modern technologies, defense, and the energy transition, including the manufacture of batteries, solar panels, and turbines, and their supply faces risks of scarcity or dependence on a limited number of suppliers.

Brazil ranks among the countries with the largest reserves of these raw materials on the planet. Lula made the remark to reporters following his meeting with Merz. The Brazilian president emphasized that mineral extraction should go beyond simply selling raw materials.

“Our reserves also make us key players in the debate on critical minerals. We want to attract processing chains to Brazil, rather than rely solely on exports. Collaboration in technology-intensive sectors is a priority for a country that does not want to remain a mere commodity exporter,” he stated.

Under the cooperation agreement, also cited by Friedrich Merz in his press statement, Brazil and Germany pledge to expand research, development, and innovation in the exploration, extraction, and processing of critical minerals, including rare earths and other metals.

Both countries recognize the strategic importance of research, development, and innovation to increase value added along the value chains of critical and strategic minerals, contributing to sustainable industrial development, technological sovereignty, and stronger domestic industrial capabilities.

Commitments include support for innovation, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries; the launch of joint research, development, and innovation projects for the responsible management of critical minerals; and exchanges of scientists and postgraduate technical staff. The agreement provides for the development, by 2026, of a new bilateral program to provide direct funding to national institutions and companies in both countries.

Other agreements

Alongside the critical minerals agreement, Brazil and Germany signed 14 other joint agreements during Lula’s official visit.

Among them is a cooperation agreement to strengthen the fight against environmental crimes such as deforestation, wildlife trafficking, and illegal fishing and mining. Another agreement covers cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, with a focus on digital government and industrial applications.

On his second official trip to Germany during his current term, Lula highlighted that Brazil is one of the few countries with which Germany maintains a strategic partnership agreement, considered the highest level of diplomatic relations between nations.

“This closeness is more important than ever at a time of profound changes in the world order. We want to strengthen our mutual benefits and expand our network. We want to be strong partners with shared ideas,” said Friedrich Merz in a statement to the press.

In addition to the bilateral meeting, Lula delivered a speech at the opening of the world’s largest industrial trade fair, Hannover Messe, which is featuring Brazil this year. He also attended a meeting with Brazilian and German business leaders, where he highlighted opportunities in the biofuels sector.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a strong speech against wars and in defense of strengthened multilateralism in Barcelona, Spain, where he participated in the fourth high-level meeting of the Forum for the Defense of Democracy.

The president began his three-country European trip in Spain on Saturday (Apr. 18). He then traveled to Germany and later to Portugal.

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In his speech, Lula also emphasized that the consequences of armed conflicts fall on the poorest.

“Trump invades Iran, and consequently one sees an increase in the price of beans in Brazil, corn in Mexico, and gasoline in other countries. Are the poor going to pay for the irresponsibility of wars that nobody wants?” he asked.

Lula emphasized that countries have other problems to face and the world “does not need war.”

“We have more than 760 million people going hungry, we have millions of illiterate people, and millions of people died because there was no vaccine against COVID-19,” he added.

Lula noted that the world is currently experiencing the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II and called for coordinated action by the United Nations (UN).

“We must demand that the UN Secretary-General convene special meetings, even without a request from the five Security Council members,” he said.

The president criticized some of the major ongoing wars, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s destruction of the Gaza Strip, and the US-Iran conflict in the Middle East.

“No president of any country in the world, no matter how powerful, has the right to impose rules on other countries. None. And the five members of the UN Security Council must come together to change this behavior. We cannot wake up every morning and go to sleep every night with a president’s tweet threatening the world and waging war. And they all make decisions without consulting the UN, of which they are members and part of its Security Council,” Lula continued.

The Brazilian president lamented the silence of countries and stressed that democracy at the United Nations depends on their engagement. “Strengthening multilateralism depends on us.”

Regulation of Digital Platforms

In his speech, Lula also criticized the role of digital platforms in the political destabilization of countries and called on the UN itself to lead discussions on shared rules among nations.

“The plain and simple truth is that lies have triumphed over truth. That is a hard fact. To lie, you don’t have to explain yourself; to justify yourself, you do,” he said.

Lula also called on the UN to take action regarding social media platforms.

“It needs to function to ensure, for example, that social media platforms are regulated worldwide, for everyone. A president cannot interfere in one country’s election, interfere in another’s, or ask for votes for another. Where is electoral sovereignty? Where is territorial sovereignty? This is an issue we need to discuss and make our voices heard on. And the arena where we must fight is the United Nations,” Lula added.

The Democracy Forever Forum is an initiative launched in 2024 by the governments of Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay. In Barcelona, the event, organized by Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, also featured Presidents Yamandú Orsi (Uruguay), Gustavo Petro (Colombia), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico), and former Chilean President Gabriel Boric.