Brazil formally launched a dispute at the World Trade Organization on 11 August, arguing that the 50 percent duties imposed by the Trump administration on a wide range of Brazilian exports breach U.S. commitments under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The legal move escalates tensions that flared after Washington’s tariff hike took effect on 6 August and now covers an estimated US$14.5 billion in annual trade. The confrontation deepened when a virtual meeting that Finance Minister Fernando Haddad had scheduled for Wednesday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was abruptly canceled. Speaking on local television, Haddad said no new date was offered despite Brazil’s request to reschedule and blamed political pressure from Bolsonaro-aligned activists in Washington. He added that about 10,000 Brazilian firms are exposed to the higher levies. Haddad said the government would issue an executive order as soon as Tuesday outlining credit lines, tax relief and changes to state purchasing rules to cushion affected sectors while keeping within the 2025 budget target. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has so far declined to call Donald Trump directly, signaled he will discuss the tariffs with fellow BRICS leaders after holding a 40-minute conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which both agreed to strengthen economic coordination.