Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized recent tariffs imposed by the United States on Brazilian goods, describing them as unfair and strategically misguided in an opinion piece published Sunday. Lula warned that the new duties risk damaging the longstanding bilateral relationship and would ultimately increase costs for American consumers.

The tariffs, which range from 12.5 percent to 37.5 percent, were announced despite multiple meetings between Brazilian and U.S. officials and technical assessments advocating against their implementation, Lula wrote. These measures come after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down last year’s 50-percent tariffs on Brazilian products. According to the president, the new tariffs affect a wide array of goods, including food, footwear, textiles, furniture, and auto parts.

Lula referred to data from Global Trade Alert, a Swiss-based independent organization, that highlights Brazil and Turkey as the second most heavily tariffed countries by the United States after China. He emphasized that this comes despite the U.S. maintaining a trade surplus with Brazil, amounting to $428 billion in goods and services over 15 years.

The opinion piece was published just one day after Flavio Bolsonaro, a conservative candidate and ally of former President Donald Trump, launched his presidential campaign in Brazil. Lula pointed out that Brazilian exports to the U.S. have fallen to their lowest levels since 1997, attributing part of this decline to the tariffs. He cautioned that these measures could disrupt integrated supply chains, potentially encouraging Brazilian firms to seek alternative suppliers outside the United States.

While expressing willingness for constructive dialogue with Washington, Lula underscored Brazil’s sovereignty in determining its economic and political course. “Brazil’s destiny is for Brazilians alone to determine – without foreign interference or subservience,” he wrote.

The U.S. Embassy in Brazil has not issued an immediate response to Lula’s column. The tariff dispute adds another layer of complexity to U.S.-Brazil trade relations amid shifting political dynamics in both countries.