‘I Don't Talk Soft To U.S.’: Lula Humiliates Rubio, Warns Not To Interfere In Internal Politics

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]I am very sad today with the news that the secretary of the United States of North America, some Marco Rubio, uh said that the United States said that our criminals here are terrorists and that the Americans can intervene.

[00:00:22]Why am I sad? first because this so-called Commando Vermelo, this so-called PCC, they are terrorists to Brazilian communities, to Brazilian society, to the people in the outskirts of this country. We do not accept being treated like children.

[00:00:43]We do not accept being treated as if we were some small republic. I had a three-hour conversation with President Trump, three hours with him. I handed him four documents. One of them was on fighting organized crime. Mr. Marco Rubio wasn't there, possibly because he was prepared to help the son of a boss sonarista who is a candidate for reelection here in this country who has no shame in betraying our homeland in going to the United States to ask for American intervention in Brazil. In this country, there is something we have to learn. I treat a small country with the same respect that I treat China, with the same respect that I treat Russia, with the same respect that I treat the United States. I don't talk tough to Bolivia and soft to the United States. I speak politely to both because I want respect and I need to have respect in order to respect. So don't play. Don't play with the sovereignty of this country. Don't play with our democracy.

[00:01:48]Don't doubt the things we do here in this country.

[00:01:54]My friends, fellow working men and women, I wanted to discuss three subjects with you today.

[00:02:04]The first is that when I was a candidate for president in the last election, my goal was to try to bring Brazil back to political civility.

[00:02:23]Political civility means doing politics while respecting the rights of others so that others respect our rights.

[00:02:36]I've been doing politics for a long time. I faced people of all ideological stripes. I've competed against major political bosses. And one thing I've never lost is respect for human beings.

[00:02:51]Often we'd finish a meeting, run into our opponent at a restaurant, and we wouldn't be shouting insults. We'd go over and greet them, and then each of us would go back to our table to eat.

[00:03:03]Today, politics isn't like that. Today, politics is full of hatred. People have become enemies or adversaries.

[00:03:11]People don't tolerate each other. And I want to explain to you why I'm starting by talking about this. It's because I'm only a candidate for president of the republic after July 3rd. Until July 3rd, I am the president of the republic and I will travel around Brazil delivering all the projects we've completed because starting July 3rd, I can no longer inaugurate any projects. I can visit projects, but I can't inaugurate them.

[00:03:42]And if I want to campaign, it has to be after 6:00 when my presidential duties end or on Saturdays and Sundays. During the day from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I am the president of this country, not a candidate. It's important for you to know that's how it is. This is my conduct because the most sacred thing I have to do until January 4th, 2026 2027 is to govern this country. Winning the election if I run is a consequence. But what I have achieved today is the obligation to be the president of all Brazilians is until the end of my term.

[00:04:30]So, when I see a senator come up here and get booed, what worries me? It's important for you to know why it worries me. I don't want to deny anyone's right to protest. But what worries me is that when this event ends, if there's something important to vote on in the Senate, it's that senator I have to talk to. It's him. I've had experience. And I'll tell you a story. Senator Lobong.

[00:04:58]Once I went to ask Lo for his vote on something important we wanted to pass in the Senate. Lo said to me, "Mr. President, why are you coming to talk to me now? You've never talked to me before.

[00:05:12]Your people boo me in Marino every day.

[00:05:15]So why are you coming to talk to me?"

[00:05:17]It's important for you to understand because there are two political moments.

[00:05:22]There's the political moment of the partisan ideological dispute, but there's also the moment of governability.

[00:05:29]There's the moment when I need 247 representatives to pass a law, and I need at least 41 senators to pass a law.

[00:05:39]My party only has nine.

[00:05:42]So, pay attention to the numbers. The PT has 70 representatives.

[00:05:47]The House has 513.

[00:05:51]We only have 70 out of 513. And to pass something by a simple majority, it takes 247 votes. Who do I need to talk to?

[00:06:02]Representatives. From where? From other parties. Why? Because my party doesn't have all the representatives I need.

[00:06:09]It's the same thing with senators. It's the same thing when there's a bill in the Senate. I need my leader to be able to talk to all the senators, to all of them, those who are in our allied base, those who are in my party, but also those who aren't. Because often the bill isn't just in the interest of the government, it's in the interest of Brazil. If we don't understand this, we'll live in a ghetto our entire lives.

[00:06:40]We must not confuse the electoral dispute with governance.

[00:06:46]And in governance, I need friends, half friends and enemies.

[00:06:53]When a project is in the interest of Brazil, I'm not ashamed to talk to any politician, any representative. That's why even though we only have 70 representatives and nine senators, we approved 99% of the things we sent to Congress, like the end of the 6 by1 work week just now, which got 460 votes.

[00:07:19]>> That's just talking. It's a lot of talking, a lot of dialogue.

[00:07:24]That's how we do politics.

[00:07:27]That's how we do politics.

[00:07:29]I lost the nomination of my minister to the Supreme Court and I was sad because he wasn't defeated due to legal incompetence as he is one of the best lawyers in this country. He wasn't defeated because he has some dirty record in his life. He is one of the most upright men in this country. He was defeated simply for political reasons.

[00:07:53]And what's going to happen senators? I'm going to NOMINATE MESSIAS AGAIN.

[00:08:05]AND I WILL NOMINATE HIM OUT OF respect for the presidential office. I am the one who nominates. The Senate can reject someone if they lack legal competence.

[00:08:14]So let the Senate say, "I'm not voting for you because you're a lousy lawyer, because you're not a real lawyer at all.

[00:08:22]I'm not voting for you because you have a dirty record. You're a thief. You beat your wife." say that what they can't do is simply reject for the sake of rejecting. That's what can't happen because there's no explanation.

[00:08:34]Otherwise, we lose civility in this country, the right to democratic coexistence in diversity, which is what guarantees democracy, you know. So, my friend, I just wanted us to understand this because everywhere I go, I invite the mayor of the city. I don't care what party they're from. I invite the governor. I don't care what party he's from. I invite the senators, the federal and state representatives.

[00:09:00]Let whoever wants to come come because this isn't mine. Petro Brass isn't mine.

[00:09:05]The investment here isn't mine. It belongs to our country and everyone has the right to be happy about the investment.

[00:09:13]That's the first thing I wanted to say.

[00:09:17]The second thing I wanted to say is about Petro Brass.

[00:09:22]I always say that I can because often we get very excited. First, an explanation.

[00:09:29]Do you know why we've now changed the way we make our announcements?

[00:09:34]Do you know why you're here? It's because now these events aren't for us to hold rallies. They're for us to tell the press what we're doing. So this event here is a little bit for the people over there, but it's much more for you to share the numbers that Magda told you because I'll tell you, write this down.

[00:09:56]Never before in the history of Brazil has SIP received the amount of investment it is receiving up to 2030.

[00:10:10]Never.

[00:10:12]It received a little when Petro Brass was created which came to drill the first wells here until now after 5354.

[00:10:21]Until now. In fact, a lot of things only happened when we voted. If the senators search the Senate archives, if the professors search the university libraries, if the unionists search the union libraries, you will realize that this country had two moments of social policy. two moments of social policy inclusion. Getulo Vargas in 36 with the minimum wage, in 43 with the labor laws, and a metal worker named Lula after 2003 in this country.

[00:10:54]You can search wherever you want. I'm saying this here even to provoke MY OPPONENTS. YOU CAN SEARCH. I doubt you will find after the proclamation of the republic in 1889 combining all the presidents together that they did 10% of the social inclusion policy that we did in this country.

[00:11:21]You can search.

[00:11:23]You can search and try to discredit me publicly because the truth is that the poor people of this country have always been treated as if they were invisible.

[00:11:33]The poor are only noticed during election time. During election time, the poor are the most important figures because the rich are very few and the people are many. So, everyone goes after the poor. Oh, how I love the poor. And they kiss the poor, hug the poor, and hold children. But then after the elections, they often forget.

[00:11:55]And I make a point of remembering this.

[00:11:58]I make a point of remembering. And you oil workers believe in the importance of empas of Petro Brass.

[00:12:07]Believe in the wonder of Petro Brass.

[00:12:09]But it's important for you to know one thing.

[00:12:17]Petro Bryce, it is more wonderful depending on the government this country has.

[00:12:26]You know that. You know what you've already been through at Petro Brass. You who wear this yellow uniform during Operation Car Wash. All of you were seen as if you were corrupt. All of you.

[00:12:40]Because the maxim of the government at that time was to discredit Petro Brass.

[00:12:45]Always with the goal of discrediting it to sell Petro Brass. They even TRIED TO CHANGE PETRO Brass's name. When they couldn't sell it, they started selling it off in pieces, slicing it up. AND I ASK THOSE WHO VOTED FOR PRIVATIZATION.

[00:13:01]WHAT DID WE GAIN FROM THE PRIVATIZATION OF OUR BR? WHAT DID THE COUNTRY GAIN?

[00:13:11]one of the most extraordinary fuel distribution networks which if it were IN OUR HANDS NOW WE WOULDN'T BE struggling because of the conflict between the United States and Iran and today we are the country with the cheapest fuel prices because the government intervened doing justice to Petro Brass so it wouldn't take a loss we exempted federal taxes we subsidized half of the state VAT for the governors so that we could just yesterday I signed two more decrees so you can keep Petro Brass's prices without taking a loss.

[00:13:50]This is the role of the state. But if there WERE OTHER GOVERNMENTS, THEY WOULD TELL THE COMPANY, "YOU HAVE TO SELL PETROR. It's taking a loss because of corruption. It's because there's too much corruption. YOU HAVE TO SELL it because the scoundrel politician only talks about corruption just like Morrow.

[00:14:11]It's important for you to know what you want out of life because this refinery could be producing over in Parana. It could be producing in Baya which we reopened this week. It could be producing. I was telling Magda I thought we were going to inaugurate trees lagoas in Mroso Dul. It's been 15 years since I left the presidency and it's still the same way I left it with 15% left to finish while the country imports 90% of its fertilizer because the Brazilian elite only knows how to complain. They never cared about fertilizer in this country. If they cared about fertilizer, we would be self-sufficient in potassium. We would be self-sufficient in phosphate. We would be self-sufficient in ura. No, but they always thought importing was good because it was cheap. Now came the war in Ukraine. It got expensive and it got difficult and it got difficult and now they needed us again. Us who are called communists in this country. I'm not a communist because I'm a devout Catholic.

[00:15:23]I'm more Christian than communist. When they ask me if I'm a communist, I say I'm a machinist. Just vote so we can say. A country is only sovereign when it is its own master. We are not some banana republic where anyone can give advice about Brazil. We need to learn to respect ourselves.

[00:15:47]And Magda knows that when I invited her to be president of Petro Brass, I want you to know I still dream of a distributor.

[00:15:58]>> I had I had bought senators. I had bought comrades a gas company, a gas distributor. In my first term, the president was Joseé Eduardo Dutra. And why did I buy a gas company? to try to regulate the price because often Petro Brass says, "I haven't raised Petro Brass's gas prices in 10 years." But the distributors raised them. So, I bought a company.

[00:16:26]What did they do? They sold it. They sold it because those who lack administrative competence, they invented a word. They're the manager. YOU KNOW WHAT A MANAGER IS? IT'S THE ONE WHO DISMANTLES PUBLIC ASSETS to give them away for free. like they gave away Electro Brass, like they GAVE AWAY SABESPIN SA PAULO AND LIKE THEY GAVE AWAY SO many companies.

[00:16:47]The manager OUT OF INCOMPETENCE IN KNOWING HOW TO MANAGE, out of incompetence in knowing how to deal WITH THE WORKER SAYS IT'S BETTER TO SELL.

[00:16:56]It's better to sell. HOW WAS THE PRIVATIZATION PROCESS IN THIS COUNTRY, MAGDA? A while ago before we arrived, the roads were practically sold for a price to businessmen. And this price that the businessmen charged was put into the toll. Who paid? The people.

[00:17:16]What was the change we made? We don't do privatization of companies. We do concessions. And we don't charge a concession fee. We don't want money. We want the beneficiary to be the person who uses the road, the driver, the truck driver, THE GUY WHO'S GOING TO PASS BY WITH HIS FAMILY. IF YOU DON'T CHARGE a concession fee, you can have a cheaper toll. Compare our tolls across Brazil with the tolls of other governments. You will see THAT WHILE IN SA PAULO the toll was eight rays for every 100 kilometers, on the 381 in Minajer, it was only two rayis.50 50 cents because the focus is on the people. So it was the people. So it's important for us to realize that a company like Petro Brass needs political direction.

[00:18:12]Magda knows this.

[00:18:14]I will never interfere in the activities of a company that is listed in New York and has a competent woman, I would even say highly competent, running it. But she has to know.

[00:18:27]She has to know because if it goes well, it's wonderful for Petro Brass. If it goes wrong, it's on the president's back that things break. She knows that. I'm tired. Operation Car Wash was the biggest legal LIE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.

[00:18:47]And I'm TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE I COULD HAVE LEFT BRAZIL.

[00:18:51]I could have done like the B sonaristas who are in Miami asking Trump for protection. I could have I could have gone to an embassy. I preferred to go to the federal police to stay there for 580 days to prove the dirty trick they played on me. And my revenge my revenge was my innocence.

[00:19:12]So comrades, you at Petro Brass should know that it's important for you to realize that depending on the government that takes over this country, Petro Brass will be more beautiful or uglier.

[00:19:24]And we have experience of how many times how many times you were harmed because there are people who think it's just about selling. There are people who lack competence. Therefore, congratulations to Mrs. Magda, this charming woman. And congratulations to the board of Petro Brass. I love I love putting Magda to talk with people who want to buy. There are people who want to partner with Petro Brass. There are plenty of people.

[00:19:52]I say look for Magda because in fact many people want to partner. They want to keep the good part and leave Petro Brass with the bad part. We've learned we want to keep the good part. If they want, let them keep THE BAD PART.

[00:20:10]IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO know that I still dream of bringing Electro Brass back to being a public company in this country. But the privatization of Electro Brass was so dirty that in the privatization, you know, they said we can only buy it back after I don't know how long. If it's the government buying it, it's three times more expensive than for anyone else. It's like BR. It's still using the Petro Brass name, but if we want to buy it back only in 2029.

[00:20:41]In other words, this sortedness, this sortedness they do to Brazilian companies makes it very difficult for you who are calling me to come close to you. So now I came here, I came here with Pedro, Joelio, Marcio, Jo, Danielle, with mayors, representatives, ministers and senators and Magda. I came here because it's very I know how long I've been coming to this state. I've been coming here for as long as these people have been demanding fafen. I didn't even know da and they'd say fafen fafen everyone fafen fafen. I will return fafen to the people of Sajipi.

[00:21:21]Look, look at how this state is today and let's talk about the evolution of Sajipi five, six or 10 years from now with the development that will be carried out here.

[00:21:35]Another thing I want to tell you before I finish today I am very sad Governor I'm very sad senators today is a disappointing day for me. I'll go back.

[00:21:45]I'll turn to you.

[00:21:47]>> I am very sad today.

[00:21:50]with the news that the secretary of the United States of North America, some Marco Rubio, uh said that the United States said that our criminals here are terrorists and that the Americans can intervene.

[00:22:09]Why am I sad? First, because this so-called Commando Vermelo, this so-called PCC, they are terrorists to Brazilian communities, to Brazilian society, to the people in the outskirts of this country. They are terrorists because they harass families, they harass the neighborhood, they harass the city, they steal everything the people have a right to, the people's right to live freely. So they are terrorists and we are going to fight them here. We passed an anti-gang law and we passed the law to fight organized crime and we will fight them. They are not the terrorists Trump wants. Trump wants Trump wants Osama bin Laden wants I don't know who. And we want the Brazilian terrorists who are over there because you know that the imported weapons smuggled into Brazil come from the United States. The weapons come from there. The federal police delivered a document to Trump. Brazil is willing willing to work to fight organized crime. And let's start with your state of Delaware which has money laundering by Brazilians. Let's start there. Let's start by handing over Ramaging who is sentenced to 16 years and is hiding there.

[00:23:24]Let's let's start by handing over the biggest fuel smuggler in this country, Clauddio Mro. Ricardo Mro, whose 250 million in smuggled fuel was seized by the federal police and the IRS, given to Petro Braz, and he is living in Miami. I gave Trump his name and a photo of his house. You want to FIGHT ORGANIZED CRIME, HAND over our criminals who are there in the United States.

[00:23:53]WE DO NOT ACCEPT BEING TREATED LIKE CHILDREN.

[00:23:58]WE DO NOT ACCEPT BEING TREATED AS IF WE WERE SOME small republic. I had a three-hour conversation with President Trump. Three hours with him. I handed him four documents. One of them was on fighting organized crime. Mr. Marco Rubio wasn't there. possibly because he was prepared to help the son of a bossarista who is a candidate for reelection here in this country who has no shame in betraying our homeland in going to the United States to ask for American intervention in Brazil.

[00:24:32]There is no traitor. Quake Sylve would be ashamed if he knew there is a presidential candidate who goes to THE UNITED STATES TO ASK FOR AMERICAN intervention in Brazil. Oh, if he went to ask for intervention to arrest militia members, they would be locked up there. That is the truth.

[00:24:55]So, comrades, here's the thing. You know me.

[00:25:00]I am 80 years old. I am the longest serving president in the history of this country. And they are bothered because they know I am going to win the election for president of the republic again.

[00:25:16]And I I made a point of saying I made a point of saying to President Trump, looking him in the face, "President, I am 80 years old. You will turn 80 on June 14th.

[00:25:34]Two 80year-old men, two presidents of the two largest democracies on this side of the world, cannot play at doing politics. We have to show respect to humanity, respect to society. We must value democracy. We must value multilateralism. We must value the protection of the territorial integrity of nations because this is not just any country. This is a very large country.

[00:26:04]And I am concerned because we have many critical minerals, many rare earths. We have a lot of ore. We still have a lot of gold. We still have a lot of gold. We still have a lot of diamonds. We have the largest tropical forest in the world. 12% of the freshwater. And still soon they'll say the Amazon, the Amazon is ours. No. Here in this country, there is something we have to learn.

[00:26:31]I treat a small country with the same respect that I treat China, with the same respect that I treat Russia, with the same respect that I treat the United States. I don't talk tough to Bolivia and soft to the United States. I speak politely to both because I want respect and I need to have respect in order to respect. So don't play. Don't play with the sovereignty of this country. Don't play with our democracy. Don't doubt the things we do here in this country. If you want to fight organized crime, you don't need to ask anyone for help. Pass the public safety constitutional amendment that is in the Senate. Pass the public safety constitutional amendment. PASS THE AMENDMENT AND THE FOLLOWING MONTH THERE will be a ministry of public safety in this country because I'm not going to create a ministry for show without money. To pass the amendment then they'll have to approve money. They'll have to approve a new federal police. They'll have to approve a lot of investment in intelligence.

[00:27:32]There won't be a national guard taking police officers from the states. They'll have to create a special guard, you know, with highly trained soldiers for us to fight organized crime here. And if Trump wants help, we will help him fight organized crime inside the United States as well. That's how it is.