Still incipient, the impact is already beginning to be felt in various productive sectors and is generating an urgent reaction on the part of the Brazilian business community and government.

Washington’s new tariff package affects key sectors such as steel, machinery, footwear, wood and processed foods.

The reaction in the South American giant has been immediate: while industries are calculating losses, the administration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is activating a trade offensive to diversify markets and contain the damage.

The Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services announced that it will intensify negotiations with countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Chambers of commerce and business associations, in parallel, are promoting business meetings to explore new export routes.

This tariff increase is “a hard blow, but also an alarm signal. Brazil cannot depend on a single market, especially a volatile one like the U.S.,” said Julia Nogueira, director of international relations of the National Confederation of Industry.

jdt/jav/mem/ocs