'Brazil Doesn't Take Orders': Lula's Message To Trump In Independence Day Speech

Last Updated:September 08, 2025, 17:08 IST

Lula will host a meeting of the BRICS nations, which includes Russia, India, China and South Africa, today to discuss tariffs imposed by Trump

Brazilian President Lula Da Silva hit back at Trump's tariff threat on BRICS. (Reuters)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that his country does not take orders from anyone, apparently targeting US President Donald Trump over 50% tariffs and backing former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup.

In his Independence Day speech, Lula said Brazil maintain friendly relations with all countries, but it will never become a colony of any country.

“More than 200 years have passed, and we have become sovereign. We are not and will not be a colony of anyone again. We are capable of governing and taking care of our land and our people without interference from any foreign government. We maintain friendly relations with all countries, but we don’t take orders from anyone," he said.

Trump slapped a range of Brazilian goods with his highest category of tariff on August 6 to punish Latin America’s biggest economy over what he called its “witch hunt" against his ally, former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro is on trial for coup plotting over his alleged bid to prevent his successor, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, from taking office following his victory over Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections.

Big BRICS Meet Today On Trump’s Tariffs

Lula will host a meeting of the BRICS nations, which includes Russia, India, China and South Africa, today to discuss tariffs imposed by Trump. While External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will take part in the virtual BRICS Summit.

Trump had dubbed BRICS as an anti-US bloc in the past and threatened to impose harsh sanctions on BRICS nations. After Trump’s tariffs came into force in August, Lula had called for a joint BRICS response against the US actions.

Despite Lula’s multiple phone calls to BRICS leaders, no such joint statement has come yet.

Lula, who had earlier announced he would not engage in negotiations with Trump, is open to talks with the US President, Brazil’s foreign relations minister Mauro Vieira said last week.

Saurabh Verma

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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