Lula-Trump meeting expected soon, says Mauro Vieira
Brazil and the United States are expected to hold another meeting in November, continuing the resumption of dialogue between the two countries after months of diplomatic tension, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said Thursday (Oct. 16). He made the statement following a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House in Washington.
According to the Foreign Minister, the meeting - which lasted about an hour - took place in a “very relaxed atmosphere” where ideas were exchanged, with the main focus on the tariffs imposed by the United States on Brazilian products.
“It was very productive, with a strong willingness to collaborate and outline a bilateral trade agenda,” Vieira said in an interview with journalists.
The meeting consisted of two stages: a private conversation between the two ministers, followed by the participation of diplomats and trade representatives from both governments. Vieira confirmed that the technical teams are expected to begin negotiating measures “soon” to try to reverse the 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian products exported to the US, which were imposed in August of this year.
Possible Lula-Trump meeting
Vieira also said that Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump are expected to meet in the coming months, although the date and location have not yet been set.
“The objective is for the leaders to meet soon. Both sides are interested in making this happen as quickly as possible,” the minister stated.
Initially, it was expected that the meeting could take place during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia at the end of October. However, according to the foreign minister, the presidents’ schedules will determine the most appropriate time for the meeting.
Next steps
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira and Marco Rubio are expected to maintain direct contact in the coming weeks to define the agenda for technical meetings. By November, it is expected that the groundwork will be laid for broader negotiations on tariffs and trade cooperation.
“The important thing is that a constructive attitude prevailed, with practical steps toward the resumption of negotiations between the two countries,” the foreign minister emphasized. “There is good chemistry between the governments, and dialogue is open,” Vieira added.
