Nearly half of Brazil's exports to the United States — representing $12.4 billion in trade — will now face additional tariffs following the entry into force of new American trade measures, according to a study by Brazil's National Confederation of Industry (CNI), the country's main industrial employers' body. The levies stem from a US investigation under Section 301 of American trade law, which targeted 60 trading partners accused of failing to effectively ban imports made with forced labour. Brazil has been placed in one of the highest bands, with 3,985 products now subject to a combined 37.5% tariff rate — a 25% existing surcharge plus a new 12.5% forced-labour levy — while a further 75 products face the 12.5% rate alone.

The CNI has strongly disputed the US rationale, arguing that Brazil has some of the world's most advanced legislation against forced labour, with internationally recognised inspection and accountability mechanisms. The confederation's president, Ricardo Alban, called for swift dialogue between Brasília and Washington while announcing talks with the federal government and affected sectors on short-term relief measures. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rejected the tariffs as improper and announced a credit line for impacted industries. By contrast, Argentina secured the minimum 10% rate after making commitments through a bilateral agreement with Washington to ban imports produced with forced labour.

Beyond the trade and legal dimensions, Brazilian analysts and diplomats see a pronounced political motive behind the escalation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated publicly that negotiations failed because of Lula personally, writing on social media that the Brazilian president