Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's proposal to impose a 20% tariff on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, describing the measure as an act of "piracy."
Speaking in São Paulo on Monday, Lula said the proposed policy would contradict the United States' longstanding stance against piracy.
"Back in the day, that used to be called piracy," Lula said. "A major country like the United States, which I believe has long fought against piracy, cannot now become a pirate itself."
Lula's remarks come amid growing international debate over the proposed tariff and rising tensions surrounding one of the world's most strategically important maritime trade routes.
