Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva saw a modest increase in his approval ratings just as US President Donald Trump prepared sweeping tariffs targeting Brazil, marking a new phase of tension between the two Western Hemisphere powers.

According to a LatAm Pulse survey by AtlasIntel for Bloomberg News, Lula’s approval rose slightly to just above 50% in late July, compared to 49.7% two weeks earlier. His disapproval dropped to 49.7%, down from 50.3%. The poll surveyed 7,334 Brazilian respondents between July 25 and 28, with a margin of error of ±1 percentage point.

The growing standoff appears to be boosting Lula’s domestic standing. Rather than yield to Trump’s call to halt what he termed a “witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, Lula has emphasized a message of institutional respect and national autonomy. Bolsonaro is due to face trial on allegations he sought to cling to power after losing the 2022 election.

“I hope the president of the United States reflects on the importance of Brazil and decides to do what we do in a civilized world: if there’s a disagreement, sit down at a table, put it aside, and let’s resolve it,” Lula said on Monday.

Wider context

Lula’s appeals for dialogue, however, have not swayed Washington. A group of Brazilian senators visiting the US capital failed to secure meetings with Trump-aligned lawmakers in a last-minute push to prevent the tariffs.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration formally announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, set to take effect next week. While exemptions have been granted for select goods such as orange juice and Embraer-manufactured aircraft, the White House also unveiled sanctions against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro’s legal case. Earlier this month, de Moraes ordered the former president to wear an ankle monitor.

Trump’s move has unsettled Brazil’s conservative factions ahead of the 2026 presidential contest. With Bolsonaro barred from running for office, Lula now holds a lead in early polling over his likely challengers.