The United States government announced on Thursday (23) a new 12.5 percent tariff on Brazilian exports linked to an investigation into forced labor. The measure, effective Friday (24), adds to the 25 percent tariff already in place since last week.
Brazilian ministers, including Dario Durigan and Márcio Elias Rosa, criticized the decision as arbitrary and unjustified. The Lula government said it will activate the Reciprocity Law and take the case to the World Trade Organization.
The Brasil Soberano plan provides R$ 18.5 billion in credit for affected companies. About 2,000 products, such as meat and coffee, remain exempt from the new tariffs.
AmCham Brasil estimated that US$ 10.7 billion in exports will face a cumulative 37.5 percent rate. Sectors such as footwear and machinery will be most impacted.
Brazilian officials prioritize negotiations with the US after July 29 and contest the findings of the American investigation.
