‘Planting food, not hate’: Brazil’s Lula razzes Trump over tariff-hit grapes

BRASILIA (AFP) : President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that he hopes Donald Trump can come and get to know the real Brazil, as the South American powerhouse reels from Washington’s 50-percent tariffs.

In a video taken while he planted grapes – one of the tariff-hit goods – Brazil’s leftist leader addressed Trump.

“I hope you can visit someday so we can talk and you can get to know the true Brazil, the Brazil of people who love samba, carnival, soccer, the United States, China, Russia, Uruguay, and Venezuela. We love everyone,” Lula said.

The tariffs imposed on Brazil are among the steepest to hit a US trading partner.

And unlike with other countries, the measures against Brazil have been framed in openly political terms, with the Republican president justifying the move by alleging Brasilia is conducting a “witch hunt” against his ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro is being tried for an alleged coup attempt against Lula in 2022, and the United States recently sanctioned the judge in the case, along with seven other Supreme Court magistrates.

Lula has backed the Supreme Court and promises to defend “the sovereignty of the Brazilian people.”

His administration has also vowed to combat Trump’s tariffs, including by lodging an appeal if necessary.

The levies, which affect several key exports from the largest economy in Latin America, sweep aside centuries-old trade ties and a surplus that Brasilia put at $284 million last year.

In his message on X, Lula said he was giving an example of “planting food, and not planting violence, or planting hate.”

“I hope that someday we can talk, President Trump, so you can learn about the quality of the Brazilian people,” he adds.