Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva publicly criticised US President Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 20% toll on all goods transported through the Strait of Hormuz, calling the move “the behaviour of a pirate nation.”
Speaking on 13 July at an event at the Mauá Institute of Technology in São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo state, Lula responded to Trump’s social‑media post. Earlier that day, Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States would restore a naval blockade on Iran and charge a 20% fee on all cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the US would become the “guardian of the Strait.”
In his speech, Lula said bluntly: “President Trump’s post says he will open the Strait of Hormuz. But for every ship that is allowed through, for every ship that leaves the strait, the owner of the oil must pay him 20%. That used to be called piracy.” He added: “A great power like the United States, which for so long fought against pirates, cannot now turn itself into a pirate.” Lula emphasised that the strait was never closed in the first place, and said: “It was not Brazil that invented this war—he [Trump] invented it.”
Lula also sharply criticised the US for trying to profit from the conflict. He pointed out that it was “neither normal, nor democratic, nor civilised” to see the US provoke a war and then charge so‑called “security fees” on passing vessels. “It is not normal for someone to make money from other people’s misfortune,” he stressed.
Beyond the moral criticism, Lula also highlighted the real economic impact of the conflict on Brazil. He said that the wars launched by the US and Israel had pushed up fuel and food prices in Brazil. After the Iran war caused international oil prices to spike sharply, the Brazilian government announced a series of temporary measures to control domestic fuel‑price increases. Lula revealed that the government had imposed a 12% tax on crude oil exports starting in March this year, and the revenue from that tax is being used to cushion the impact of rising oil prices on the domestic economy.
Analysts note that the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical oil‑transport chokepoints, handling a large share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Trump’s toll plan has not only sparked widespread international controversy but could also further escalate tensions in the Middle East and push global energy prices even higher.