Tarcísio de Freitas, governor of São Paulo state and a former infrastructure minister under Bolsonaro, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. tariffs would have a negative impact on the economy and for important industrial exporters from his state, including Brazilian plane maker Embraer.

When U.S. President Donald Trump linked 50% tariffs on Brazil to the trial against his ally, the country's former far-right leader, Washington left Latin America's largest economy with few options to deescalate but may have overestimated the country's vulnerability to the levies.

Lula was responding to Wednesday's threat by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to impose a 50% import tax on Brazilian goods from 1 August. In a letter, Trump cited Brazil's treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger for tariff-hike.