São Paulo.- Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, accused his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, this Monday of engaging in “piracy” for wanting to charge a 20% fee to ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Lula criticized during an event in São Paulo Trump’s announcement to impose a toll on ships that the U.S. Armed Forces help cross this important waterway, amid the naval blockade that Iran has re-established in the face of escalating tensions in the region.
“An important country like the U.S., which for a long time fought against piracy, cannot now become a pirate,” he declared.
The Brazilian president stated that the measure “is not democratic” nor “civilized,” before accusing the Trump administration of wanting to “make money at the expense of misfortune.”
Likewise, Lula recalled that the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s crude oil production passes, was open to navigation before the war and blamed Trump for “inventing” the conflict.
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Lula rejects the war in Iran and its motivations
According to the Brazilian, Iran did not have the capacity to develop nuclear weapons, the White House’s main justification for launching the offensive at the end of February together with Israel.
“The price of war is translating into the price of beans, of rice…”, he added.
Less than four months before the elections in which he is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, the progressive leader defended his government’s actions to try to contain the rise in fuel prices, such as the 12% tax on oil exports.
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After a brief ceasefire, cross-attacks resumed last week in the Middle East, leading Iran to announce the closure of the strait to all ships and the U.S. to impose a blockade on the Persian country’s ports.
