BELEM: Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday he will call Donald Trump if negotiations on US tariffs do not make progress in the near future.
The veteran leader also urged Latin American leaders to help avoid a conflict in Venezuela as the Trump administration orders military action against vessels allegedly linked to drug cartels.
The US government has increased tariffs on many Brazilian goods by more than 50%, but Lula and Trump have since spoken about reaching a deal.
“I have his number, he has mine. I have no trouble in calling him,” Lula told reporters ahead of the United Nations’ climate summit in Belem, a Brazilian city in the heart of the Amazon.
Lula said he is being convinced by his diplomats to attend a meeting in Colombia next week, in which US military action in the region will be in debate at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, a body 33 of members.
“I told Trump that Latin America is a region of peace,” Lula added.
The Brazilian leader said he also urged his American counterpart to listen to former US President George W. Bush, who took part in discussions to pacify Venezuela after a coup attempt against then Venezuela President Hugo Chávez in 2002.