Brazilian President Lula da Silva vowed to trigger Brazil's reciprocity law if negotiations with the U.S. fail.

Brazil's government on Friday downplayed the impact of the 50% tariff U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose on imports from that country, as leaders from both nations expressed a cautious willingness to negotiate in the future.

In a letter to Lula earlier in the week, Trump linked the proposed tariffs to Bolsonaro’s ongoing prosecution, leaving little room for Brazil to maneuver. Lula, speaking to TV Globo, condemned Trump’s rationale as “extremely outrageous,” stating that Bolsonaro “didn’t just try to stage a coup—he tried to prepare my death.”