Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday strongly opposed a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods imposed by the United States, calling it “political” and “illogical”, reported news agency AP.

In an op-ed published in the New York Times, Lula wrote that his government was open to negotiating “anything that can bring mutual benefits,” but stressed, “Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table.”