Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad claimed on Monday that “far-right forces” aligned with the White House influenced the cancellation of a meeting scheduled with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Haddad suggested that the meeting, initially set for Friday, was abruptly called off, attributing this decision to interference from U.S. political factions. He indicated that a remote meeting would instead occur on Wednesday, August 13, where U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports would be discussed. He made these comments during an appearance on Globonews.
According to Haddad, the U.S. justified the cancellation by saying there was a “lack of agenda.” He didn’t directly connect this incident to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s refusal to directly communicate with former President Donald Trump.
“What’s evident is that trade negotiations aren’t really the priority here,” he said, noting that he didn’t pursue rescheduling the meeting with Bessent.
Haddad stated, “It’s the anti-diplomatic extremists among these far-right forces in collaboration with the White House who caused this cancellation.” He specifically pointed fingers at Brazilian Senator Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, suggesting his actions led to the meeting’s cancellation, although he didn’t provide evidence for this claim.
Haddad claimed Senator Bolsonaro pressured him to limit interactions between the Brazilian and U.S. governments around the time he announced the meeting. He characterized Bolsonaro’s public statements as efforts to obstruct such dialogues, arguing that “his words insinuated interference that ultimately led to the cancellation.”
In response, Senator Bolsonaro and Brazilian journalist Paulo Figueiredo dismissed Haddad’s accusations, asserting that he tends to deflect blame onto others for his own shortcomings. They suggested that President Lula’s remarks were inflammatory, worsening the situation.
Recently, President Trump declared an economic emergency in the U.S., which he linked to ongoing issues with Brazil, stating that until these problems are addressed, any meetings would be ineffective and merely performative.
Bolsonaro and Figueiredo added that they do not control or dictate the U.S. Treasury’s agenda. They described Bessent as an expert that follows directives from the U.S. President while prioritizing American interests.
They plan to travel to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to engage with U.S. officials.
Haddad recounted that Brazil’s attempts to negotiate tariffs began following Trump’s July 9 announcement, imposing a hefty 50% tariff on Brazilian products entering the U.S. He mentioned that President Lula was actively involved in appointing Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to steer these discussions.
About a week later, Lula reached out to him regarding financial matters, referencing a previous constructive conversation with Bessent in California.
In late July, President Trump issued an executive order declaring Brazil a national security threat, incorporating the new tariffs based on his perception of a “witch hunt” against conservative figures in Brazil.
On Tuesday morning, a Brazilian businessperson suggested President Lula should contact Trump to address the tariff situation, indicating that negotiations had stalled.
They claimed that a phone call might be the most effective means to revive discussions between both nations. It’s noted that Trump had previously mentioned being open to a call from Lula anytime.
However, Lula has expressed reluctance to reach out directly, feeling that it would amount to humiliation due to the lack of mention of previous communications.
Christian K. Calzo is a Venezuelan writer documenting life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
