Brazil counters US tariffs with credit and innovation.

Government expands credit lines while the productive sector reorganizes.

While the US maintains tariff pressure on Brazilian products, the government responded this Thursday (13) with concrete actions. The National Monetary Council (CMN) approved significant changes to the Sovereign Brazil Plan, expanding access to R$ 30 billion in emergency credit lines for companies and their suppliers affected by the tariff shock.

The decision is not merely reactive. It represents a two-pronged strategy: diplomatic negotiation with Washington and direct protection of the national production chain. Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who also heads the Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MDIC), was clear: the government is acting simultaneously in diplomacy and in supporting the sector.

What has changed in access to credit?

The new rules broaden revenue criteria and sectoral scope. Now, suppliers of exporting companies are also included in the list of beneficiaries—a smart move that protects the entire value chain, not just large exporters. This change was regulated following a joint decree from the Treasury and the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) on Wednesday.

The magnitude of the problem becomes evident when looking at recent data: timber exports to the US have fallen by half since the tariffs were announced. Sectors such as agribusiness, textiles, and manufacturing are feeling the direct impact on cash flow.

Innovation and financial inclusion are gaining ground.

While the government manages the tariff crisis, other fronts are advancing. Banco do Brasil signed a letter of intent with the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) to raise 350 million euros. The destination? Support for women entrepreneurs and clean energy in the Legal Amazon—an agreement celebrated during COP30 in Belém.

The initiative signals that, despite external turbulence, there is room for investment in innovation and inclusion. Women entrepreneurs represent a growing segment of the economy, and channeling European resources towards this population is both an opportunity and a recognition of their potential.

Startups and impact businesses in the spotlight.

At the same COP30, the government launched the Impacta Brasil Portal, a virtual showcase that presents 351 businesses with a positive socio-environmental impact. This significant number demonstrates a robust ecosystem of startups and companies focused on sustainability—even though they are often overlooked in headlines about the crisis.

Regulation of benefits and interoperability

In the area of social policies, President Lula signed a decree regulating changes to meal vouchers. The objective: to force interoperability between card brands, using a model similar to São Paulo's single ticket system. Meal voucher companies with more than 500,000 employees will have 180 days to migrate to an open system.

The measure is controversial. The Brazilian Association of Employee Benefits Companies (ABBT) criticized the decree, arguing that it reduces control over benefits and weakens oversight. The government counters that it eliminates abusive practices such as unjustified discounts and deductions.

The debate on technology and regulation

This tension between regulatory innovation and the protection of established models is recurring. On one hand, the government wants to democratize access (any worker can use any flag). On the other, companies fear reduced margins and loss of control over consumer data.

Francisco Macena, executive secretary of the Ministry of Labor, acknowledged that technological solutions already exist on the market. The issue now is governance and transparency—how to distribute revenue fairly among the stakeholders.

The big picture: external pressure, internal response.

This week's news reveals Brazil simultaneously moving on the defensive and the offensive. Defensive against American tariffs, with the government creating credit buffers. Offensive in financial inclusion, focusing on women entrepreneurs, impact startups, and modernizing benefit systems.

The challenge is to maintain this dual agenda without leaving either front unprotected. Tariffs will continue to impact exports. Innovation and inclusion require time and resources. And regulation always generates resistance from those who profit from the status quo.

What is clear is that Brazil is not standing still. It is choosing its battlegrounds—and betting that credit, innovation, and inclusion are as important as diplomatic negotiation in facing global turbulence.

Photo by Sean Pollock on Unsplash