BOGOTA, Colombia

Brazilian Vice President and Trade Minister Geraldo Alckmin has declared a diplomatic victory after US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of significant additional import tariffs on key Brazilian agribusiness products, calling the action "the biggest breakthrough in negotiations between Brazil and the United States."

While applauding the move as "a major step forward," Alckmin, who has led the high-level negotiations, confirmed that Brazil will continue to push for more exemptions.

"We want to exclude more products and move forward in the negotiation," he told reporters in the capital Brasilia on Friday.

In just three months, the US and Brazil have moved from an unprecedented trade crisis to having direct, multi-level contact to ease tensions.

The most recent relief came on Thursday, when the US leader suspended the extra 40% tariff on 238 Brazilian products. The exempted goods—part of an effort by Trump to lower costs for American consumers—include major exports like coffee, beef, cocoa, mangoes, coconuts, pineapples, and acai.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shared a video reaction on US social media platform X, expressing his pleasure with the decision.

"The removal of the 40% tariff imposed by the US government on several Brazilian agricultural products is a victory for dialogue, diplomacy and common sense," he said.

Both Lula and Trump have engaged in ongoing trade negotiations aimed at further reducing tariffs. Lula praised the "frank dialogue" with Trump and confirmed that Brazil would continue talks to secure broader relief.

According to preliminary official estimates released Friday, the total exports subject to the steepest 50% additional tariff has now been reduced from 36% to 22% following this latest decision.

The US president had initially imposed additional tariffs on Brazilian products, citing both trade practices he considered unfair and the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was subsequently sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to carry out a coup after losing the 2022 elections.