Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used the UN rostrum on Tuesday to excoriate Washington over tariffs and military actions, promote closer ties with China, and call for reform of global institutions – only to be met moments later by an unexpected olive branch from US President Donald Trump, who proposed meeting him next week.
Lula’s address came against the backdrop of sharp tensions with the United States, including 50 per cent tariffs on imports from Brazil, which Trump has imposed in response to “unfair barriers” and the trial of former leader Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump told reporters that he and Lula had “excellent chemistry” during a brief encounter after the Brazilian president’s speech.
“We had a good talk, and we agreed to meet next week,” he said. “He seemed like a very nice man … At least for about 39 seconds, we had excellent chemistry. It’s a good sign.”
