Overview

• Trump designated Secretary of State Marco Rubio to conduct negotiations with Brazil’s team led by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
• Lula asked for the rollback of the U.S. surcharge on Brazilian goods and for the removal of restrictive measures applied to officials, including Magnitsky-related actions tied to Supreme Court minister Alexandre de Moraes.
• Both leaders agreed to meet in person soon, with possible venues floated such as the ASEAN summit in Malaysia or COP30 in Belém, and they exchanged phone numbers to keep a direct channel.
• The tariff dispute stems from duties announced in July and in force since August—up to 50% with hundreds of exemptions—still affecting about 35.9% of Brazilian exports to the U.S., according to Brazil’s industry ministry.
• Rubio’s prior criticism of Moraes and moves on visas and sanctions drew notice in Brasília, while business groups that had lobbied in Washington welcomed the shift from rhetoric to formal talks.