Lula Defends Brazilian Sovereignty in Independence Day Address

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a televised and radio address on Sunday evening, the eve of Brazil's Independence Day, declaring that the country will not submit to foreign powers. "We are not, and will not be a colony of anyone," he said, framing sovereignty as control over territory, borders, environment, and natural wealth.

The speech came weeks after the United States imposed combined tariffs of 37.5 percent on Brazilian exports, citing alleged unfair trade practices and forced-labor concerns. Without naming Donald Trump, Lula insisted no foreign government has the right to dictate Brazil's trading partners.

“We are not, and will not be a colony of anyone.”

Lula highlighted strategic resources: the world's largest freshwater reserve, the second-largest rare-earth deposits, and a newly discovered oil field at the Amazon mouth off Amapá. He said the Critical Minerals Legal Framework, approved by the Senate on September 2, will turn these assets into technology development and quality jobs.

The three-and-a-half-minute broadcast was pre-cleared by the Superior Electoral Court, which ruled the topic carried public interest despite the president's re-election candidacy. Lula also honored independence heroes from Minas Gerais and Bahia, linking historical struggle to today's defense of democracy and energy transition.