—The Unified Socialist Workers’ Party of Brazil (PSTU)
Trump’s tariff increase is an unacceptable economic and political attack. Imposing tariffs on Brazilian products, defending the interests of big tech companies, and demanding changes to judicial decisions in favor of Bolsonaro not only attack the Brazilian economy, but also national sovereignty.
Lula’s government is obligated to retaliate against the United States. However, despite rumors that the government was going to react, Lula has taken no action to confront the U.S. He has even changed the tone of his statements.
In an August 6 interview with Reuters, for example, he said he would not retaliate: “I won’t do it because I don’t want to be like him. I want to show that when one doesn’t want to fight, two won’t. I don’t want to fight with the U.S.,” the president said, making it clear that even in the face of imperialist aggression, the government prefers conciliation.
Ministers such as Haddad and Alckmin have met with important business leaders and are negotiating with the U.S., to the point that the finance minister has proposed handing over Brazilian rare earth minerals to the U.S. Thus, the way is being paved for true capitulation.
It is not surprising that Haddad downplays U.S. imperialist aggression. At a press conference on August 5, he stated: “We will not fall into the trap of imagining that the government is taking aggressive measures against Brazil through misinformation. That is not the history of Brazil’s alliance with the United States.”
By vindicating the history of the United States’ relationship with Brazil, he neglected to mention that it is marked by economic domination, political interference, and plunder by U.S. multinationals.
We demand that the government address the tariff increase
There are well-known and feasible measures that Lula’s government could take to counter imperialist aggression. We list four measures that would demonstrate to the United States and the rest of the world that Brazil refuses to be treated as a colony or a third-rate country.
- First, apply the Reciprocity Act against the US.
Respond with the same tariffs on U.S. products.
2. Immediately suspend negotiations for the delivery of rare earth minerals.
No Brazilian strategic resource should be handed over to aggressive U.S. imperialism.
3. Interrupt the transfer of profits and dividends from U.S. multinationals.
In the midst of a crisis, the country cannot afford to lose billions to foreign capital.
4. Audit and suspend public debt payments to U.S. banks and funds.
It is absurd to pay billions to speculators when investment in sovereignty and infrastructure is lacking.
If the government were committed to the struggle for sovereignty and the interests of workers, it could take these measures immediately. Instead, however, the government has aligned itself with the Brazilian bourgeoisie. In order to guarantee its profits, the bourgeoisie fears any friction with the United States due to its relationship of partnership and dependence on imperialism.
The government claims that there is no correlation of forces. However, all polls show that the majority of workers oppose the tariff increase. This demonstrates their willingness to fight. What is lacking is the leadership and will to mobilize people to break with imperialism and its lackeys in Brazil.
Meanwhile, economists and big businessmen argue that we should not respond in kind because the United States is much stronger. This is the logic of the colonized who argue that it is better to submit than to displease the powerful. By accepting this argument, Lula’s government is contributing to the deepening of colonization and loss of sovereignty.
Historically, Brazil has been under the domination of imperialist powers. This dependence is real. However, accepting it as destiny means accepting backwardness, submission, and poverty as natural states. By not reacting, the government is doing just that.
The struggle against imperialism and the bourgeoisie is ongoing
The Brazilian bourgeoisie is cowardly. When people talk about resistance, the bourgeoisie responds with blackmail: “If you do this, the multinationals will leave!” “Factories will close!” “Jobs will be affected!”
Ford did just that. The company made billions in profits and received subsidies, yet it still closed the factory and left. Is that what they want to preserve? A submissive, fragile economy based on cheap labor that surrenders everything to capital?
What should the government do if they threaten to leave? They should defend the workers and the country, not the interests of imperialist monopolies, especially if Trump decides to escalate the dispute following Brazil’s retaliation. The same goes if a multinational company decides to close.
In these scenarios, the government should nationalize U.S. capitalist monopolies and place them under workers’ control to guarantee employment, production, and sovereignty.
However, Lula is not willing to do so. Taking these measures would require confronting capitalists, both foreign and domestic. His government was not designed for that. It was designed to govern within the rules of capitalism, seeking conciliation with big business and international bosses.
The working class must take the initiative
Unity of action among all those willing to fight imperialist aggression is crucial. However, the Brazilian bourgeoisie and the Lula government’s submission to the U.S. is becoming increasingly evident. We must organize to fight Trump’s tariff increases and the subjugation of our country.
All organizations, unions, grassroots movements, and activists opposed to US domination must unite and call for mobilization, demanding concrete measures from the government. The fight against tariff increases should be the starting point for developing a program that confronts imperialism and capitalism while defending workers.
If Lula’s government refuses to act, it only reinforces the importance of workers to take the initiative. It is time to fight imperialist aggression and defend the country’s sovereignty. If the government confronts the attacks and relies on mobilization, we will go on strike together while maintaining our political independence and our position as the left-wing opposition to the government.
