Lula Brands Marco Rubio 'Mortal Enemy' of Latin America as Trump Admin Targets Brazil With New Tariff Threats

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has accused U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio of disliking Latin America and suggested the Trump administration's latest threats of tariffs against Brazil were politically motivated, marking a new escalation in tensions between Washington and Brasília months before Brazil's presidential election.

The dispute intensified after the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative accused Brazil of unfair trade practices involving social media regulation, intellectual property and deforestation policies, while threatening a broad 25% tariff on Brazilian goods.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the announcement came despite ongoing negotiations that he said had been agreed upon during a recent three-hour meeting with President Donald Trump.

"I already told Trump that Marco Rubio doesn't like Latin America, much less Brazil. He's a frustrated Latin American," Lula said, according to France 24. He also said Brazil would "fight so this country is not treated like an insignificant little republic."

Lula suggested Rubio may have influenced the decision to escalate pressure on Brazil after Trump recently met in Washington with Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Lula's main expected challenger in October's election. Trump publicly praised Bolsonaro, calling him "a smart young man who loves his country, Brazil very much," while showing photos from their meeting.

The tariff threat also came days after the Trump administration formally designated Brazil's two largest criminal organizations — Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) — as foreign terrorist organizations, despite objections from the Brazilian government.

Brazilian officials viewed the move as another form of U.S. interference in domestic affairs. According to reports from Spain's ABC, Flávio Bolsonaro had personally requested the designation during meetings in Washington with Trump administration officials, including Rubio.

Despite the latest tensions, Lula said Brazil would continue seeking trade alternatives if Washington moves forward with additional tariffs. "If they don't want to buy," he said, "we can sell to whoever wants to buy."