Samantha Pearson
Appearances
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
First, it's important to say potentially a global trade war of epic scale is probably not good news for anyone. But there will be some countries that likely benefit from this in some ways and obviously some that lose out. Brazil is one of those countries that will see some benefits. And that's largely because of China and commodities. The U.S.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
has imposed tariffs on China and China's retaliated by China. putting levies on things like soybeans, meat and cotton. But China still needs to buy these things from somewhere, so it's more likely to buy them from Brazil now. So Brazil's likely to be exporting more soybeans, meat, other commodities to China. Brazil could potentially also see benefits elsewhere.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
Japan is already buying a lot of beef from the US, but now that's in doubt because of tariffs potentially on Japanese cars. So Japan may be looking now to buy beef from elsewhere, so that could also benefit Brazil.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
China is really now in control of some of the most strategic assets in Brazil. And this is the case in other Latin American countries as well, not only through commerce and trade, but it's also lent Latin American governments more than $100 billion over the past couple of decades. It's actually quite difficult now for the U.S. to reverse that if they want to.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
If Brazil had the choice it would still prefer investment from the U.S. than China. So really that question is down to how does the U.S. react. A good example of that is I was recently in the northeast of Brazil visiting a car plant being built by the Chinese firm BYD.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
That's being built on a site where a Ford factory used to be that shut down in 2021 when Ford left Brazil after more than a century in the country. And when I was speaking to the local people, they said, yeah, I'd much prefer to be working for Ford still, but I'll work for BYD because that's the job that's on offer. It's a good example of the dynamics here. If the U.S.
WSJ What’s News
President Trump Announces 10% Across-the-Board Tariff on All Imports
does step up its investments in Brazil, Brazil would definitely welcome that with open arms.