SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil will prioritize trade negotiations with the United States to address the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump as it is continues to expand commercial agreements with other countries as a way to offset the impact, a top foreign trade official said Thursday.
“The guidance from the minister and Vice President (Geraldo Alckmin) is to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate,” Foreign Trade Secretary Tatiana Prazeres said at an online event hosted by the Brazil-China Business Council. “We have an open dialogue with U.S. authorities."
Brazilian imports to the United States have faced a 10% tariff since last week. Steel, one of Brazil’s key exports to the U.S., has been subject to a 25% tariff since March.
The United States is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner, behind China. In 2024, the U.S. trade surplus with Brazil reached $28.6 billion in goods and services.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has said publicly that Brazil doesn’t rule out retaliation but remains committed to dialogue with the U.S.
Brazilian officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Development have held meetings with the Trump administration for over five weeks, according to a top official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Talks began after the U.S. imposed the 25% tariff on Brazilian steel. Brazil has argued that it is a key supplier of semi-finished steel to the U.S., underscoring the integrated nature of the trade: for example, the same ships that bring U.S. coal to Brazil return carrying semi-finished steel, critical to the American industry. Brazilian officials have also warned that penalizing Brazil could strengthen Asian competitors, particularly those backed by China.
When the 10% tariff was announced on April 2, Brazilian officials felt a certain relief, as they believed the weeks-long negotiations may have helped avoid a worst-case scenario of higher tariffs.
Still, the extra taxes have raised concern and uncertainty.
Brazil’s top exports to the U.S. include crude oil, aircraft, coffee, cellulose and beef. Orange juice exports are also expected to be significantly affected, as the U.S. accounts for the majority of the exports.
Prazeres said Thursday the U.S. trade war could bring some opportunities. “In the past, during the first version of the trade war, we saw an increase in Brazil’s soybean exports to China. But that’s not the scenario we hope for, because the risks are very significant,” she said.
Brazilian authorities are also tracking the potential impact of a surge in Asian exports that are no longer reaching the U.S. market. “We are monitoring significant, atypical changes in trade flows,” Prazeres added.
While continuing talks with the U.S., Brazil is also working to expand its trade agreements with other countries and blocs. Prazeres highlighted recent deals signed between the Mercosur bloc and Singapore in 2023, and the European Union in 2024. The EU agreement has yet to be ratified by member countries in both regions.
Last week, VP Alckmin said the trade tensions triggered by Trump’s tariffs could help accelerate the conclusion of the Mercosur–European Union agreement.
A worker organizes fabric at a textile manufacturer in Sao Paulo, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is happy to be back at his hometown event and showed it.
Cameron Champ isn't far from familiar territory, either, which is a good thing considering he got the call that he was in the Byron Nelson as an alternate about 18 hours before his tee time.
Scheffler made the turn in 29 on his way to a 10-under 61 for a two-shot lead over Rico Hoey and Jhonattan Vegas, with Champ among seven players another shot back at 64.
Defending champion Taylor Pendrith shot 67 with players allowed to lift, clean and replace their shots in the fairways after the par-71 TPC Craig Ranch got heavy rainfall Wednesday.
The top-ranked Scheffler outshined fellow hometown star Jordan Spieth with the former Texas Longhorns paired together along with Si Woo Kim, a South Korean who also calls Dallas home and was showcased in an event sponsored by CJ Group, a conglomerate based in his home country.
Kim shot 67, capping his round with a lofty chip-in for eagle at the par-5 18th and rolling onto his back in celebration. Spieth is 2 under. Vegas, another Texas alum, had a bogey-free round along with Scheffler and Hoey.
The others at 7 under with Champ are Stephan Jaeger, Michael Thorbjornsen, Eric Cole, Andrew Putnam, Patton Kizzire and Will Gordon.
Scheffler missed last year's event in Dallas' northern suburb of McKinney for the birth of his first child, son Bennett.
“Jordan and I love playing here. This tournament has meant a lot to us over the years,” Scheffler said. “Obviously last year I was missing for some pretty good reasons. I wasn't too sad about what was going on in my life at the time.”
Back then, he had 10 wins combined before May over a three-year stretch, including the Masters and Players Championship twice each. Now, Scheffler is still seeking the first victory of 2025.
Not that he was playing poorly before posting his lowest round of the year. Scheffler finished fourth as the defending champion at Augusta and has four other top-10 finishes this year.
“I wouldn't say anxious or eager, anything like that,” the 13-time winner said of seeking his first victory in 2025. “I got off to a pretty good start today, and there's three more days of the tournament. Just focused on going home and getting some rest.”
Scheffler birdied four consecutive holes on the front nine and added one more before putting his approach at the par-5 ninth inside 5 feet for an eagle to get to 7 under.
A chip for birdie stopped on the lip at the par-4 11th, the second of three consecutive pars before he pulled even with Hoey with a birdie at 13. Scheffler took the lead by putting his tee shot on the stadium hole — the par-3 17th — inside 3 feet.
Hoey, a 29-year-old from the Philippines seeking his first PGA Tour victory, started with eight pars on the back nine before an eagle on 18 triggered an 8-under finish over his final 10 holes. His 63 tied his career low on the PGA Tour. Hoey's best finish this year also was in Texas, a tie for 11th at the Houston Open.
“It’s been up and down, but from the start of the last season and comparing it, I think I’m doing a way better job,” said Hoey, who won on the Canadian tour in 2017 and the Korn Ferry circuit two years ago. “Just feel like there are rounds I’ve been clicking; other rounds I haven’t put it up. Kind of nice to get the momentum rolling now.”
Champ, who lives in Houston and played at Texas A&M, was home when he got the call that he was replacing Gary Woodland, who withdrew. He made it to the Dallas area Wednesday night and countered two bogeys in his first three holes with nine birdies.
The 29-year-old from California won three times from 2019-21 but missed 35 of 55 cuts over the previous two years. This is just his fourth start of 2025.
“Considering last year, how many cuts I missed by one, it was like 11 or 12 or something, I haven’t really been playing that bad,” Champ said. “The last two years is probably the hardest I’ve ever worked. Feel like my physical abilities are there. It’s just getting back to the right mental state.”
Spieth and Danny Walker had to pause to clean spikes after wayward tee shots into muddy territory. Walker's cleaning delay lasted several minutes, including others helping by splashing the soles with bottled water.
Walker, playing in the group ahead of Spieth, ended up with a bogey on the par-4 11th on his way to a 68. Spieth scrambled for a par-4 at No. 3 after barely missing the water while putting his tee shot in a waste area.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Cameron Champ watches his shot off the ninth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Si Woo Kim hits off the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Jordan Spieth, left, and Scottie Scheffler, right, walk the sixth fairway together during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Jordan Spieth follows through on his shot off the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Rico Hoey, right, and his caddie approach the 8th green during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Scottie Scheffler watches his drive on the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in McKinney, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
