Unexpected Diplomatic Doors: Trump's Secret Meeting with Brazilian Meat Mogul
A meeting between a JBS co-owner and Trump preceded Trump's positive remarks about Brazil’s leader at the United Nations. The dialogue focused on tariffs impacting Brazilian meat and broader geopolitics between the nations. Business leaders, including Embraer, are advocating for reduced U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports.
An undisclosed meeting between Joesley Batista, a co-owner of JBS, and former U.S. President Donald Trump took place weeks before Trump publicly praised Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the United Nations. Sources say this interaction paved the way for diplomacy between the two leaders, despite prior tensions.
In this conversation, Batista highlighted to Trump that tariffs on Brazilian goods, like beef, were driving up costs in the U.S. market. The tariffs were initially implemented in response to perceived injustices against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Recently, business leaders, including those from JBS and Embraer, have been engaging with U.S. officials to negotiate tariff reductions.
Embraer succeeded in having plane parts excluded from the high tariffs, while many Brazilian imports still face significant levies. As future meetings between Lula and Trump remain uncertain, Lula has expressed his readiness to continue discussions, emphasizing a shift from what seemed unlikely to becoming reality.
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