Lula and ministers wear caps with response to Trump in meeting: ‘We are not willing to be treated as subordinates’

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva demanded on Tuesday morning at the Planalto Palace that all his ministers defend Brazilian sovereignty against US sanctions. He also criticized what he called the ‘betrayal of the homeland’ by the family of former president Jair Bolsonaro. ‘I do not know of any moment in the history of this country when a traitor to the homeland had the audacity to move to a country he is adopting as his homeland, and trying to stir up hatred among some American leaders against the Brazilian people. It is important that each minister, in their speeches going forward, make a point of highlighting the sovereignty of this country. If we liked emperor, we would not have ended the empire,’ said Lula, wearing a cap with the words ‘Brazil is for Brazilians’. The accessory began to be used in February by members of the Brazilian government as a response to the cap that bears the words ‘Make America Great Again’, used by opponents, such as the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas. Lula also spoke about the 50% tariff imposed by the Donald Trump administration on Brazilian exports to the US. The president stated that Brazil is willing to negotiate with the Americans but demands respect. ‘We are willing to sit at the table on equal terms. What we are not willing to accept is to be treated as subordinates. We do not accept that from anyone. Our commitment is to the Brazilian people,’ emphasized Lula. These statements were made during the second meeting with all members of the top-level government this year. The first was in January. The ministers received hats identical to the president’s and wore them at the beginning of the meeting, when the room was open to journalists to capture images. President Lula also said that the actions of federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) in the US, lobbying in favor of sanctions against the Brazilian government, are the greatest betrayal of the homeland in Brazil’s history. ‘What is happening today in Brazil with the former president’s family and the behavior of his son in the US is one of the greatest betrayals of the homeland,’ said Lula. In January, the last time the entire Cabinet gathered for a meeting, the president said that ‘2026 had already begun,’ referring to next year’s presidential elections. During Tuesday’s meeting, Chief of Staff Rui Costa presented what he considers the government’s main accomplishments in two years and eight months in office, highlighting the reduction in unemployment and a 9% increase in average salaries over the last three years. The current monthly average wage is R$3,497, an all-time high in nominal values. The Minister of the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom), Sidônio Palmeira, is expected to introduce the government’s new slogan to replace the current one, ‘Union and Reconstruction’, adopted since the beginning of the administration. Sidônio is also expected to address his Esplanade colleagues, urging alignment in ministry communications to avoid crisis hotspots and boost the positive impact of the party’s actions. The meeting will take place as Lula continues to regain popularity and seeks to get closer to allied party leaders in preparation for a fourth term campaign. In recent weeks, Lula has met with leaders and chieftains of parties such as MDB, Republicans, União Brasil, PSB, and PSD. This movement comes as the leftist leader has halted the decline in popularity among the population. A Genial/Quaest survey released on Wednesday shows that the gap between those who approve (46%) and disapprove (51%) of the government has halved in a month, dropping from ten to five percentage points. The result confirms the trend of a recovery in the assessment of the leftist government that began in the previous survey in July, and represents the highest approval rate since January, when it reached 47%. The assessment of the government shows that 39% view the leftist government negatively, while 31% see it positively and 27% as average. Another 3% do not know or did not respond. Lula and Minister of Institutional Relations Gleisi Hoffmann are also expected to outline the priorities of the leftist government in Congress until December, including the approval of income tax exemption for those earning up to R$5,000, the Proposed Constitutional Amendment (PEC) on Security, and now the submission of projects for the regulation of big tech companies in Brazil.