Lula was responding to Wednesday's threat by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to impose a 50% import tax on Brazilian goods from 1 August. In a letter, Trump cited Brazil's treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger for tariff-hike.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he planned to hit Brazil with a 50% tariff, in part due to the treatment of its former president and his political ally, Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s President forcefully rebuked Trump after the U.S. leader called the prosecution of Lula’s predecessor, Bolsonaro, a “witch hunt” and hiked tariffs on the Latin American nation.