Rubio Signals U.S.–Brazil Rapprochement, Citing Trade Progress

Overview

• The U.S. Embassy in Brazil released a video of Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing the relationship as on a “positive trajectory” and pointing to shared priorities.
• Rubio said Presidents Donald Trump and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held two phone calls and one in-person meeting this year, reported progress especially on trade, and noted more work remains.
• On November 20, Washington lifted 40% import duties on a wide range of Brazilian goods, including beef, coffee, fruit juices, cocoa, tea, bananas, oranges, and tomatoes.
• On December 12, the Trump administration removed Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from the Magnitsky sanctions list, easing a source of political friction.
• Lula this week called the earlier U.S. tariff hike “irrelevant” for Brazil’s economy and said he and Trump “ended up becoming friends,” as Brasília pushes for more tariff relief and the rollback of remaining sanctions.