Social movements will hold demonstrations at the US embassy and consulates

In defense of sovereignty, trade unions, the Popular Brazil and People Without Fear fronts, and other social movements will hold demonstrations in front of the United States embassy and consulates next Friday, August 1st, the date on which the U.S. tariff hike on Brazil was scheduled to take effect . According to a decree signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, August 30th, the measure has been postponed and will take effect in seven days, August 6th.

In an interview with Agência Brasil , the president of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT), Sérgio Nobre, classified the tariff hike as an aggression, and said that the measure intends to attack the country's sovereignty.

"It's an aggression, an interference in the Brazilian judiciary, an interference in sovereignty. The only country that had a political element inserted into its tariffs was Brazil. It's not just a commercial issue. It's an intervention in the country's sovereignty."

The Brazilian response, according to the CUT president, will have to be firm, and the country cannot "give in to blackmail" from the United States. "It's similar to those big kids at school; everyone's been there. They take the little one's snack. If you hand over the snack without resisting, my son, you can be prepared to have to hand over the snack again every day," he said.

"We have to be tough, show that Brazil is a big country, has a big economy," he recommended to the Brazilian government. "The United States is important, but there are alternative markets. We cannot, under any circumstances, give in to blackmail," he added.

Affected sectors and layoffs

Nobre believes that the Brazilian sectors that may feel the most immediate negative effects of the tariff hike are timber and pig iron production. These products are manufactured predominantly for export to the US. He points out, however, that Brazil already has mechanisms in place to prevent the layoff of workers in these sectors.

"There are some companies that have a more immediate impact, such as timber, which is unique to the United States, and pig iron. But even in these cases, we have plenty of mechanisms to preserve jobs for six to eight months without the need for layoffs."

Among the mechanisms highlighted by the CUT president are the anticipation of vacations, collective vacations, the anticipation of holidays, and the use of layoffs – temporary suspension or reduction of working hours and wages.

"In our assessment, there's no reason for the company to lay off workers before exhausting these mechanisms. There's no need for that now. This kind of debate only arises when we've exhausted all the mechanisms we already have."

According to the CUT president, no company has yet contacted the unions affiliated with the union to report layoffs or workday reductions due to the tariff hike. "Several companies have already reached out, saying, 'Look, if things really move forward, what mechanisms do we have? What can we do through negotiation?' And that's healthy. But I'm not aware of any company announcing layoffs at this time."

Demonstrations

According to the president of the CUT, the acts scheduled by the unions for next Friday (1st) will have as demands, in addition to the defense of national sovereignty, the end of the 6x1 scale; exemption from income tax for up to R$5,000; taxation of the super rich; reduction of the working day; no to the PL of devastation; against unrestricted pejotization and; the end of the genocide in Gaza.

So far, the events have been confirmed in the following capitals:

• São Paulo, at 10 am, at the US Consulate;
• Salvador, at 3 pm, in Campo Grande;
• Rio de Janeiro, at 6 pm, at the US Consulate;
• Brasília, at 9 am, in front of the US Embassy;
• Porto Alegre, at 6 pm, at the Democratic Corner;
• Belo Horizonte, at 5 pm, at Praça Sete; in Manaus, at 4 pm, at Police Square/Provincial Palace;
• Recife, at 3:30 p.m., at Derby Square; and
• Florianópolis, at 7:30 pm, at Customs Square.