Slapped with crippling 50% tariffs by the US, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday gave an insight into how he would negotiate with Donald Trump during their high-profile meeting next month. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Silva, who is in India for the AI Summit, declared that he did not want any trade war with the US and was willing to sit down and negotiate with Trump.
"Two 80-year-olds don't need to fight. We have to give an example at all levels," Lula quipped. "I am clear that I do not want war," he further said, stressing that he believed in the theory of Mahatma Gandhi. Lula is 80 years old, while Trump will turn 80 on June 14 this year.
Last year, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, citing the trial on coup charges of Brazil's right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger. Since then, Lula and Trump have bickered frequently, with the Brazilian President famously declaring that he had "no relationship" with his US counterpart.
However, Lula has tempered down his rhetoric against Trump since. A face-to-face conversation between Trump and one of his fiercest critics is likely to happen in the first week of March.
"I am willing to negotiate with Trump. But I will not negotiate or discuss Brazil's sovereignty," he said. Apart from tariffs, Lula said he also wanted to negotiate issues related to organised crime, drug trafficking and rare earth minerals with Trump.
The Brazilian President then paused, thought for a bit and remarked, "I will take everything in writing, whatever I discuss with Trump." It speaks volumes about how well he has observed the eccentric US President, whose penchant for hyperbole is well known.
Since Trump took over the White House, Lula has spoken with him twice and met him once in Malaysia. Giving an insight into the mercurial US President, Lula said Trump was an expert in marketing.
"In public, he is theatrical... like a TV show. However, in private, he is much calmer and shows tranquillity," Lula said.
The Brazilian President, whose term ends this year, also reflected on his past strong relationships with former US Presidents.
"I got along very well with Bush, Obama, and Biden. I want to get along well with Trump as well. The relation between the US and Brazil is over 200 years," he flagged.
