Tarcísio De Freitas Rebuts Finance Minister Haddad Amid New U.S. Tariffs; Haddad Proposes Task Force, Gains Edinho Silva Support for 2026 SP Election

Tarcísio de Freitas, governor of São Paulo and member of the Republicanos party, responded to criticism from Finance Minister Fernando Haddad following the announcement of new U.S. tariffs. Haddad had called Tarcísio a "candidate to be a vassal," to which Tarcísio replied that Haddad should "talk less and work more." The dispute highlights tensions within Brazilian politics ahead of the 2026 elections, with Haddad defending the need for a centralized federal negotiation strategy with the United States regarding the tariffs. Haddad has also proposed the creation of a task force to identify key priorities in these negotiations. Meanwhile, Edinho Silva, the new president of the Workers' Party (PT), has publicly supported Haddad's candidacy for São Paulo governor and called for unity within the party to strengthen President Lula's government, criticizing internal conflicts as "friendly fire." Haddad further described Tarcísio's defense of former President Bolsonaro as "abject," emphasizing the importance of focusing on federal-level negotiations with the U.S. government.