Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaru announced that Brazil intends to further strengthen the BRICS alliance following the introduction of new US tariffs. The minister stated that the "unprecedented protectionism of the USA motivates us even more to strengthen this geopolitical bloc and seek new trade opportunities."

The statement came in response to US President Donald Trump's April 2 executive order imposing "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from other countries. The basic rate was set at 10%, with higher rates calculated for 57 countries based on their trade deficits with the United States.

On April 9, Trump announced that over 75 countries had not taken retaliatory measures and requested negotiations. As a result, the basic import duty of 10% will apply to all countries except China for 90 days.

BRICS was established in 2006 by Russia, China, India, and Brazil, with South Africa joining in 2011. The alliance has expanded further at the beginning of 2024 with several new member countries joining the bloc.

The most recent addition came on January 6, 2025, when Indonesia officially became the 10th full member of BRICS. As the world's 16th-largest economy by nominal GDP and home to over 281 million people, Indonesia brings significant economic weight to the alliance.

The Brazilian minister's comments, reported by the Brasil247 portal, suggest that the US tariff policies may inadvertently push Brazil to deepen its economic relationships within the BRICS framework rather than with traditional Western trading partners.

The development comes amid growing global trade tensions and changing international alliances, with BRICS positioning itself as an alternative economic and political forum for nations seeking to reduce dependence on Western-dominated institutions.