Overview
- Brazil’s vice president confirmed the Washington meeting set for Thursday between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and President Donald Trump.
- Officials in Brasília expect talks on tariffs, major tech issues, cooperation against organized crime, and rare earths, where Brazil holds the world’s second-largest reserves after China.
- Relations frayed in late April after the United States expelled a Brazilian federal police liaison in Miami over an alleged attempt to bypass extradition steps, and Brazil responded by pulling a U.S. officer’s credentials in Brasília.
- Brazilian officials plan to push back on any U.S. move to label the PCC and Comando Vermelho gangs as foreign terrorist organizations, a step they fear could trigger sanctions on Brazilian banks and invite broader U.S. actions.
- The visit follows a recent thaw that saw some 2025 U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods eased after a cordial leader-to-leader contact, as both sides weigh trade ties and political stakes in Brazil’s election year.