Romeu Zema, a pre-candidate for the 2026 Brazilian presidency, said Brazil must resolve new U.S. tariffs independently of who provides the solution [1].
Zema's comments come as he seeks to define his foreign policy stance amid rising trade tensions between Brazil and the United States. As the former governor of Minas Gerais and a member of the Novo party, Zema is positioning himself as a pragmatic alternative to the current administration's diplomatic approach.
During interviews in Brasília on July 7 and 8, Zema said the trade measures and the political environment surrounding them had an impact [2, 3]. He specifically targeted former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he called a “fanfarrão” [4].
While criticizing Trump, Zema also said President Lula's foreign policy contributed to the tariff situation [2, 4]. He further extended this criticism to the Bolsonaro family [4].
Addressing his own involvement in the dispute, Zema clarified that he was not part of recent high-level discussions in the U.S. "Não fui convidado ao evento nos Estados Unidos sobre o tarifaço," Zema said [3].
Despite the diplomatic friction, Zema said the priority remains the economic stability of Brazil. He said the country should expect a resolution to the tariffs regardless of the specific actor who helps achieve it [1].
Zema's strategy appears to be a balancing act, distancing himself from both the current left-wing government and the previous right-wing alignment with Trump, while focusing on the national interest of the Brazilian economy [1, 2].
“"Trump é um fanfarrão."”
Zema is attempting to carve out a 'third way' in the 2026 presidential race by criticizing both the current Lula administration and the populist style of Donald Trump. By blaming Lula's diplomacy for the tariffs while simultaneously mocking Trump, he is signaling to voters that he intends to pursue a professional, non-ideological relationship with the U.S. based on economic pragmatism rather than personal alliances.
