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Trump and His Lies, Tax Wars: Brazil and the World Were Taxed

  Brazil's trade deficit with the United States: an unequal relationship: Despite being one of the largest economies in Latin America, Brazil maintains an unbalanced trade balance with the United States. According to data released by O Globo, in 2024 Brazil imported about $ 44 billion in American products, while Brazilian exports to the US added only $ 42 billion. That is, the country closed the year with a commercial deficit of approximately $ 2 billion.   This result puts Brazil among the few business partners that maintain an unfavorable relationship with the United States. In practical terms, it means that Brazil buys more than it can sell to the US market, something that aggravates external dependence and reduces the competitiveness of national industry.   In addition, the deficit occurs even in sectors where Brazil has export tradition, such as agribusiness and mining. Factors such as technical barriers, sanitary requirements and, especially, Trump's tariff wars...
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Lula promises R$100 billion in French investment in Brazil and pokes at France's resistance to the Mercosur-EU agreement


Last Friday (6), directly from Paris, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ended his visit to France with a robust promise: 15 major French businessmen announced a commitment to invest R$100 billion in Brazil over the next five years.

The investments will come from companies that already operate in various sectors in the country and intend to expand their businesses. The announcement was made during the Brazil-France Economic Forum, and Lula wasted no time in highlighting that economic diplomacy is yielding concrete results.

  ●“If we add up the investments we have obtained in China and Japan, we will see that we are doing what every president should do: opening doors for Brazil,” said Lula at a press conference this Saturday (7), in Paris.

France: third largest investor in Brazil

According to the Planalto, France is currently the third largest source of direct investment in Brazil, with an estimated stock of US$66.34 billion. More than a thousand French companies operate in Brazil, generating around 500 thousand direct jobs.

The president took the opportunity to emphasize the strategic role of his international presence.

  ●“My job is to open doors. I say to businesspeople: ‘Here is Brazil, we produce this, we have this to offer. What do you have to bring us?’. And that is how business is done,” explained Lula.

The trip also marked a historic moment: it had been 13 years since a Brazilian president had officially set foot on French soil on a state mission. In addition to meetings with businesspeople, Lula and Macron expanded on 20 bilateral agreements within the context of the Brazil-France Strategic Partnership Action Plan.

Helicopters, vaccines and cutting-edge technology

Among the highlights of bilateral cooperation is the joint helicopter manufacturing project, through Helibrás, in Itajubá (MG). The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, stated that the equipment will be able to serve everything from state police forces to the health sector and environmental control.

  ●“The Itajubá facilities may also be used for future exports to neighboring countries,” the chancellor highlighted.

Another important development was the announcement of agreements between Fiocruz and French institutions, such as the Pasteur Institute, for the joint development of vaccines and laboratory products. The measure reinforces scientific cooperation between the two countries and strengthens Brazil's public health and health sovereignty.

Lula pokes Macron on Mercosur-EU agreement

Despite the friendly atmosphere, Lula took advantage of his visit to France to firmly counter French resistance to the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.

  ●“To say that French agriculture will be harmed by Brazilian agribusiness is an exaggeration. If they met the import quota, they would eat at most two hamburgers a year made with Brazilian meat. That’s nothing,” Lula said in an ironic tone, drawing laughter from the audience.

The Brazilian president made it clear that he is open to dialogue between farmers from both countries and reinforced that there is no intention of harming French rural producers.

 ● “Far be it from me to want to get in the way of small farmers in France. And I don’t even want them to stop selling wine to Brazil, even though we also produce our own,” he added, reinforcing that international trade should be a two-way street.

Lula also pointed out that the agreement needs the approval of the European Parliament, and not just France.

 ● “The European Union has 27 countries. And, honestly, I think that the Parliament will approve the agreement even without France’s full support. France has already given its power of attorney,” he concluded.

 Strategic partnership with a global vision

During the visit, Lula and Macron also reinforced their joint commitment to combating the climate crisis, deforestation in the Amazon, human trafficking and illegal mining. Both presidents highlighted the importance of keeping the environmental agenda alive in Europe and South America.

Macron, who promised to accompany Lula to COP-30 in 2025, declared:

  ●“We are two Amazonian countries. We share the same vision about the forest and the need for an open world, with fair trade and environmental responsibility.”

With billion-dollar promises, reinforcement in strategic areas and sharp speech, Lula ends his time in France as a leader who not only circulates in the halls of diplomacy, but who brings concrete results for Brazil.

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