Overview

• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Wednesday to start preparatory talks on reversing punitive tariffs.
• The immediate focus is the rollback of U.S. surcharges—reported as an additional 40% on many Brazilian exports—while Magnitsky-style measures against Brazilian officials are not expected to be resolved quickly.
• Brazilian officials are lining up ministerial contacts, with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin set to engage the U.S. Commerce Department and Finance Minister Fernando Haddad seeking a meeting with the Treasury secretary, alongside outreach to the U.S. trade representative.
• Brazil’s diplomats and U.S. analysts assess that Rubio will execute President Donald Trump’s instructions, making outcomes contingent on the president’s political and economic calculations.
• Lula described his conversation with Trump as cordial and said he directly requested the removal of the tariffs, as both sides shift to technical talks to prepare potential higher-level meetings.