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Federal government creates new phase of the Brazil Soberano program, targets exporters affected by the Middle East and includes strategic sectors with deficit in the trade balance
The federal government announced this Thursday, April 16, 2026, which sectors will have priority to access credit of R$ 15 billion operated by BNDES, focusing on reducing the impacts of the war in the Middle East and the trade tariffs imposed by the United States. The measure also reaches segments considered strategic, such as pharmaceuticals and information technology.
The details were presented in Brasília, at a press conference at the Palácio do Planalto, by the acting president, Geraldo Alckmin, after the National Monetary Council approved a resolution with the conditions for offering the lines.
How the R$ 15 billion government credit plan works
The new relief plan will be operated by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development and represents a second phase of the Brazil Soberano Program, launched in mid-2025. The government’s proposal is to support exporting companies and sectors with greater sensitivity to external shocks, both from war and tariff measures.
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According to Alckmin, the package aims to assist those affected by the American tariff hike, those struggling to export to the Persian Gulf, and strategic sectors with a deficit in the trade balance, with a focus on health, information technology, and the chemical sector.
US tariffs and effects on exports
The text notes that tariffs of 50% imposed by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, were overturned by a decision of the country’s Supreme Court in October of last year. After that, the tariffs were set at 15% for all countries selling to the US, which changed the scenario but did not eliminate the pressures on exporters.
Still, the government considers that part of the industry remains exposed to additional costs and market instability, which justified the creation of the credit line and the definition of priorities.
Who can access the credit, according to the government
The Interministerial Ordinance published by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services divides eligible companies into three groups. The government established specific rules for classification and prioritization, with cuts by exporter profile and by sector.
In the first group, exporting companies of industrial goods and their suppliers affected by the tariff measures of the United States are included. To qualify, gross revenue from exports must represent 5% or more of the value calculated in the 12-month period between August 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025.
The text mentions that the most affected include the steel, copper, and aluminum industries, which pay 50% in extra tariffs, as well as sectors of automotive parts and some types of furniture, which pay a 25% tax to sell to North Americans.
Strategic sectors enter the priority list
In the second group, the Government included companies from sectors considered strategic due to the relevance of technology use and the impact on the country’s productive modernization. The list covers areas such as textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive, machinery, and electronic and IT equipment, as well as rubber and critical minerals.
The logic behind this selection, according to the source, is to support segments with greater technological weight that can reduce structural vulnerabilities linked to deficits in the trade balance.
Exporters to the Persian Gulf also enter the package
In the third group, the Government included exporting companies and their suppliers for countries in the Persian Gulf, in the Middle East. The list includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Oman.
To enter this group, gross revenue from exports must represent 5% or more of the amount calculated in the 12-month period between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
Rates, terms, and purpose of Government credit
The credit lines were designed to finance working capital, working capital aimed at production for export, acquisition of capital goods, and investments to expand productive capacity. They can also cover strengthening the production chain, adaptation of productive activity, and technological innovation, including adaptation of products, services, and processes.
In direct contracts with BNDES, rates range from 0.94% per month for investments to 1.28% per month for working capital. In indirect contracts, through other financial institutions, rates range from 1.06% to 1.41% per month. Grace periods range from 1 year to 4 years for investments, with terms of 5 to 20 years for repayment.
In your opinion, does the Government make the right choice by prioritizing exporters and strategic sectors, or should it focus only on companies directly affected by the war and tariffs?
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