Faced with the tariff hike, Brazil should “stay quiet,” says Lisbon

Former Finance Ministry Secretary Marcos Lisboa believes Brazil should "keep quiet" in the face of Donald Trump's recent tariff hike against the country.

Lisboa argues that Brazil has no "voice" on this issue, highlighting the country's protectionist history. "When the world opened up to trade in the 1990s, we opened up a little and then closed ourselves off. We've been at a standstill for 30 years," he stated.

The economist highlighted Brazil's fragile position in global trade: "Our trade volume, exports, exports as a percentage of GDP, what does it amount to? 24.5%. It's a very closed country," Lisboa told WW Especial .

Lisboa also pointed out the discrepancy between the size of the Brazilian economy and its share of international trade. "Brazil is the 11th largest economy in the world. We're somewhere between 24th and 27th [in terms of foreign trade]. We're very closed," he explained.

Political interference and trade barriers

Beyond trade issues, the former secretary criticized Brazil's interference in other countries' politics, citing examples such as its involvement in Argentina's political affairs. "We interfere in other countries' politics," he stated.

Lisbon also mentioned the trade barriers imposed by Brazil, both tariff and non-tariff, and the high costs associated with foreign trade in the country.

Given this scenario, the economist concluded that the best strategy for Brazil would be to maintain a low profile in international discussions about tariffs, so as not to further harm its global economic position.

WW Special

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