Brazil has announced its intention to bolster its relationships with BRICS nations, despite warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding potential tariffs. The U.S. president has accused the bloc of seeking to undermine dollar hegemony, prompting Brazil’s senior adviser, Celso Amorim, to highlight the strengthening of multi-directional diplomatic and economic strategies as a response to U.S. pressure. Amor, a senior presidential adviser, stated that the U.S. pressure is reinforcing Brazil’s desire for diversified relations, not depending on any single country.
Amorim’s statements were made in an interview with the Financial Times, where he reiterated that Brazil is also pursuing closer ties with partners in Europe, South America, and Asia to broaden its diplomatic and economic options. The U.S. has already made threats of imposing tariffs on Brazilian imports, citing the country’s role in the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces coup-related charges. Trump’s threats come at a time when the U.S. has been a fierce critic of the group of emerging economies led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pushed back against Trump’s demands, warning that he is not ‘the emperor of the world’ and that Brazil would not cave in to such demands. Russia has also weighed in on the issue, noting that while BRICS is not pursuing a common currency, 65% of trade among members is conducted in national currencies. Moscow has also stressed that BRICS was never intended to rival the U.S., adding that debates about moving away from the dollar are caused by Washington’s ‘arbitrary’ actions.