SAO PAULO, May 6 (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plans to discuss tariffs and cooperation in fighting organized crime at a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, Brazilian Finance Minister Dario Durigan said.
“We are preparing to engage with Trump in a constructive manner,” Durigan told state broadcaster EBC on Wednesday. “I’m very optimistic about this conversation.”
• Trump last year imposed steep tariffs on U.S. imports of Brazilian goods, but later revoked most of them
• The U.S. also launched in 2025 a probe to examine a wide range of Brazilian policies, including the highly popular instant payment system Pix, ethanol market access and illegal deforestation
• Durigan said Brazil stands ready to address any doubts the Trump administration might have about Pix and deforestation rates
• “We need to push back against any undue lobbying that may exist regarding Pix,” the minister said
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Louise Heavens and Paul Simao)
