Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday to discuss a range of bilateral concerns, Brazilian Finance Minister Dario Durigan told state broadcaster EBC.
Durigan said on Wednesday that Brazil is preparing to engage constructively in the talks and expressed optimism about the upcoming conversation. According to the minister, the agenda will include tariffs and cooperation on organized crime.
The finance minister reiterated Brazil's readiness to address questions raised by the Trump administration. Among the specific items Durigan identified were the Pix instant payment system and deforestation rates - topics that have been highlighted by U.S. authorities in recent scrutiny.
U.S. authorities previously imposed steep tariffs on imports from Brazil last year before revoking most of those measures. In addition, the United States launched a probe in 2025 that examines a set of Brazilian policies, explicitly listing the Pix system, access to the ethanol market, and illegal deforestation as areas under review.
Durigan said Brazil will be prepared to respond to the administration's inquiries about Pix and deforestation. He also said that Brazil needs to guard against and counter any improper lobbying related to Pix, indicating concern about external influence surrounding that payment platform.
Summary of the meeting context
The meeting in Washington will focus on trade frictions - including tariffs that were imposed and later mostly revoked - and on cooperation to tackle organized crime. It comes against the backdrop of a U.S. inquiry opened in 2025 into Brazilian policies covering the Pix payment system, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation.
Key points
- President Lula will meet President Trump in Washington on Thursday to discuss tariffs and organized crime cooperation.
- Brazilian Finance Minister Dario Durigan said Brazil is prepared for constructive engagement and to answer U.S. questions on Pix and deforestation rates.
- The United States launched a probe in 2025 examining the Pix system, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation; U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports were steep last year before most were revoked.
Risks and uncertainties
- Unresolved questions from the U.S. probe into Pix, ethanol access and deforestation could prolong bilateral trade tension - affecting trade-exposed sectors.
- Potential for renewed trade measures or policy responses if discussions do not satisfy U.S. concerns - a risk for exporters and commodities linked to ethanol and agricultural markets.
- Improper lobbying related to Pix, which Brazil says it will counter, introduces uncertainty around regulatory outcomes for the payments sector.
Durigan's comments frame the upcoming meeting as an opportunity for direct engagement on contentious topics that intersect trade policy, environmental concerns, and financial regulation. Brazil has signaled readiness to address specific U.S. questions while also flagging the need to defend its interests on matters such as the integrity of its domestic payment system.