Ronaldo Caiado warns US tariff justification and ‘Mexicanization’ of Brazil politics

Former Goiás governor and presidential pre‑candidate Ronaldo Caiado claimed the United States has legitimate grounds to impose a 25% tariff on Brazilian exports, citing Brazil’s shortcomings in combating organized crime and corruption. He argued the U.S. Section 301 investigation is not politically motivated and urged President Lula to address these issues to avoid trade penalties.

Caiado also warned that Brazil is undergoing a “Mexicanization” of its political system, saying drug cartels have infiltrated the formal economy and threaten to dominate political institutions. He advocated classifying the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as terrorist groups, stating such a move would “rescue Brazil and return it to good people.”