Trad defends caution and does not rule out mission to the USA to negotiate tariffs

The president of the CRE (Commission on Foreign Relations and National Defense) of the Senate, senator Nelsinho Trad (PSD-MS), defended this Tuesday (2) "caution" and the path of dialogue as a reaction to the new North American proposal to adopt a 25% tariff on Brazilian products.

Trad also did not rule out another mission by senators to the United States to negotiate the repeal of the measure. This afternoon, he held a closed meeting with members of the collegiate to discuss the new trade offensive against Brazil.

"The mission is not ruled out, but there is also no date, no defined format. The commission works with all possibilities. First, we need to listen to the sectors, gather information", he said in a broadcast to journalists.

According to the senator, the mission must have a "clear objective and concrete utility" to occur. In July last year, CRE traveled to the USA after the announcement of a 50% tariff on Brazilian products.

"Last year, we led a non-partisan mission to the United States to reopen dialogue channels at a time of commercial tension. These channels remain important," he said.

The new 25% tariff is not yet in effect. July 15th is the deadline for defining and applying the new taxation against Brazil. "The deadline is short, but Brazil needs to use all available paths to be able to defend its interests", highlighted Trad.

As CNN Brasil showed, the US tax proposal considers as motivation acts, policies and practices of the Brazilian government that are relevant and "subject to legal measures", susceptible to being investigated through Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act.

Regarding the possible use of the Reciprocity Law, which allows Brazil to adopt counterparts of the same level, the senator defended a stance of "responsibility". For him, the instrument cannot be used to strain the relationship with the United States.

"We cannot use it to increase the tension that is already high between the two countries. Before any escalation, Brazil must exhaust the paths of dialogue, public consultation, hearing, technical coordination and parliamentary dialogue. Retaliation without a strategy could increase the problem for Brazilian companies, workers and consumers", he declared.

In a statement, the Brazilian government expressed "indignation" with the US announcement and assessed that the new tariff was politically motivated. In Nelsinho Trad's view, repealing taxation is an agenda for the State, and not for the government or the opposition.

"The less electoral political contamination there is at this moment, the better it will be for the country", he assessed.

Government cites "outrage" at the threat of new tariffs from the United States | CNN 360°

Source: CNN