President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva participated in the second day of the G7 summit in Évian‑les‑Bains, France, on June 16, 2024 [1].

The appearance marks a strategic effort by Brazil to counter protectionist trends and strengthen trade ties with major global economic blocs. By engaging with the G7, Lula seeks to ensure that developing economies maintain influence in the face of shifting trade policies.

During the summit, Lula championed the concept of multilateralism. He used the forum to criticize tariff threats from the U.S. against Brazilian products [1]. This critique highlights the tension between Brazil's export-driven economy and the protectionist measures currently being considered by the United States.

Beyond his criticisms of U.S. policy, the Brazilian president pursued a specific trade agenda involving Japan and the European Union [2]. These discussions focused on reducing trade barriers, and fostering deeper economic cooperation between South America and the Global North.

A significant outcome of these meetings was the establishment of a specific date for negotiations regarding an agreement between Mercosur and Japan [2]. This move signals a desire to diversify Brazil's trading partners and reduce reliance on any single market.

Lula's presence at the summit underscores Brazil's ambition to act as a bridge between the G7 nations and the Global South. By coordinating with the EU and Japan, Brazil is attempting to create a more stable and predictable framework for international trade, one that resists the trend toward unilateral tariffs.

“Lula used the forum to criticize tariff threats from the U.S. against Brazilian products.”

Lula's focus on the Mercosur-Japan agreement and his opposition to U.S. tariffs suggest a strategic pivot toward diversifying Brazil's economic dependencies. By leveraging the G7 platform to push for multilateralism, Brazil is attempting to insulate itself from the volatility of U.S. trade policy while positioning itself as a primary diplomatic interlocutor for the European Union and Asia in South America.