Expert Explains Why BRICS Does Not Offer Viable Solution for Brazil Amid Trade Tensions with the U.S. and Advocates Direct Negotiations

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 13/08/2025 at 19:28

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Amid U.S. Trade Tensions, The Debate On Possible Strategic Alliances For Brazil Grows. However, Experts Point To Important Limitations In Blocs Like Brics And Mercosur, Indicating That The Way Forward May Be In A Different Direction.

Would the idea of turning to Brics as support during trade tensions with the United States be viable for Brazil? This is the intention of the federal government.

However, according to Vitelio Brustolin, a Harvard researcher and professor at the Federal Fluminense University (UFF), during his participation in WW, from CNN Brasil, this idea is not viable.

According to him, the main members of the group are already negotiating tariff issues individually with Washington.

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Internal Conflicts And Lack Of Cohesion

The most important point, in Brustolin’s assessment, is that Brics faces unity issues. There are internal conflicts that hinder any joint action.

India has territorial and political disputes with China. Egypt has disagreements with Ethiopia related to Somalia.

Iran and Saudi Arabia only restored diplomatic relations in 2023, which still does not guarantee total alignment.

These tensions weaken the bloc’s capacity to act in a coordinated manner.

Without internal consensus, the political and commercial strength of the group loses relevance in large-scale international disputes.

Limited Structure Of Brics

Another factor highlighted by the expert is the very nature of Brics. The organization is informal: it has no headquarters, statute, bylaws, or clear criteria for admitting new members.

This lack of formal structure prevents the bloc from effectively addressing complex commercial issues that require clear rules and well-defined decision-making processes.

Therefore, even if there were political will, Brics would face difficulties functioning as a united front against U.S. tariff measures.

Mercosur Also Not An Alternative

Brustolin recalls that although Mercosur is a formal organization, it also does not present itself as a viable alternative to the issue.

An example is Argentina, which has already gained significant advantages by negotiating directly with the United States.

The country secured an 80% exemption on tariffs through bilateral agreements, showing that the individual approach can be more effective than seeking collective solutions.

In this context, relying exclusively on regional or multilateral alliances may not bring the desired results. The Argentine experience reinforces that direct negotiations tend to be faster and more effective.

Need For Direct Dialogue

In addition to analyses of economic blocs, Brustolin emphasized the importance of direct contact between the presidents of Brazil and the United States.

He recalled that President Lula stated he would call Donald Trump, inviting him to participate in COP 30. He also sent a formal letter.

However, it is still not confirmed whether there will be a meeting between the two during the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September 23.

For the researcher, the direct relationship between the leaders could open doors for quicker and more specific agreements.

This is because, in the current scenario, waiting for multilateral solutions within BRICS, a bloc with internal divergences and structural limitations, may mean missing negotiation opportunities.

In summary, the bet on Brics as a strategic alternative to face trade tensions with the United States finds no support, both due to the lack of internal cohesion and the ongoing bilateral negotiations.

The way forward, according to Brustolin, lies in direct diplomacy and specific agreements that meet Brazil’s immediate interests.

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Expert Explains Why BRICS Does Not Offer Viable Solution for Brazil Amid Trade Tensions with the U.S. and Advocates Direct Negotiations

Amid U.S. Trade Tensions, The Debate On Possible Strategic Alliances For Brazil Grows. However, Experts Point To Important Limitations In Blocs Like Brics And Mercosur, Indicating That The Way Forward May Be In A Different Direction.

Internal Conflicts And Lack Of Cohesion

Limited Structure Of Brics

Mercosur Also Not An Alternative

Need For Direct Dialogue

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Expert Explains Why BRICS Does Not Offer Viable Solution for Brazil Amid Trade Tensions with the U.S. and Advocates Direct Negotiations

Amid U.S. Trade Tensions, The Debate On Possible Strategic Alliances For Brazil Grows. However, Experts Point To Important Limitations In Blocs Like Brics And Mercosur, Indicating That The Way Forward May Be In A Different Direction.

Internal Conflicts And Lack Of Cohesion

Limited Structure Of Brics

Mercosur Also Not An Alternative

Need For Direct Dialogue

Engineers want to carve through Africa with a giant canal to bring water from the world’s second-largest river to a dying lake on the edge of the Sahara Desert that has already lost 90% of its water.

A giant brown band visible from space, approximately 8,850 kilometers long, connected Africa to America in the Atlantic Ocean, and satellites revealed that it is neither land nor pollution, but the largest accumulation of seaweed in the world, which broke records in 2025.

Workers were opening a modern road in Dover when they found, 6 meters below the asphalt, a 3,500-year-old boat made of stitched oak and plant fibers.

Instead of burning or burying old tires, an American city is transforming about 2,000 of them into the street itself, paving its first sections with a quieter and more durable rubber asphalt.

In just one cast, fishermen are surprised to capture 14,096 mullets in Bombinhas and close a historic season with 58,000 fish; scene recorded in the Santa Catarina paradise marks the last day of the 2026 season.

Consumers eat six times more chicken than in the 1960s, global meat supply quadruples in 60 years, and FAO report reveals the invisible cost on the plate: livestock could drive 80% of the increase in agricultural emissions over the next decade.

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