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Mapa do Segundo Turno
Mapa do Segundo Turno

06/ 47Pix

On the night of the tariff hike, Flávio thanked Trump. To the US, he offered to limit Pix connections.

Hours after Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazil, Flávio Bolsonaro wrote: “Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump”[1]. When the US accused Brazil of favoring Pix[2], he said here that “nobody will touch Pix”[3] and, in writing to Washington, offered a law preventing Pix from connecting to “non-Western” systems in other countries[4][5].

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7 story images and a link to this page.

Flávio, in his own words

  1. July 9, 2025 · on X, hours after the 50% tariff announcement

    Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump. Make Brazil free again. We want Magnitsky. Please RT[1]

  2. June 2, 2026 · in a letter to Marco Rubio, US secretary of state

    I am ready to place my transition team immediately at your disposal. […] God bless America, and God bless Brazil.[6]

  3. June 3, 2026 · in Brazil, to the newspaper O Tempo

    Nobody will touch Pix. This is an achievement of the Brazilian people.[3]

  4. 1 July 2026 · in writing to the US trade agency (USTR)

    The decisive signal: a legislative commitment that Pix will not be interconnected with non-Western cross-border settlement arrangements.[4][5]

  5. 28 Aug. 2026 · on Jornal Nacional, about his brother, Eduardo

    I think he was wrong to give thanks over the tariffs.[1]

The post and documents sent to the US were written in English. The published Portuguese text uses CNN Brasil’s translation for the statement to the USTR[5]; for the others, a Mapa translation. This English version translates that Portuguese text; the quotations have not been checked against the English originals.

Millions of people used Pix in 2025
148
Of the country’s adults
86%
Billions of transactions in 2025 (almost)
80
Source: Banco Central, Relatório de Gestão do Pix[7]

The thanks

First, the thank you

On 9 July 2025, Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian products, cited the treatment of Jair Bolsonaro and ordered the investigation that would reach Pix[8]. At 23:16, Flávio thanked him and called for the Magnitsky Act, which the US later applied against STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes[1].

In August 2026, already a candidate, he said on Jornal Nacional that his brother “was wrong to give thanks over the tariffs”[1]. Eduardo Bolsonaro, a former deputy, was convicted by the STF of coercion during legal proceedings in the tariff case[9].

The complaint

What Washington wants from Pix

Pix was launched by Banco Central in November 2020, under Flávio’s father’s government[2], from a project begun in 2018, under Temer[10]. In June 2026, the US trade agency (USTR) concluded that Brazil harms American companies by favoring Pix[2].

The list of complaints includes banks being required to offer Pix free to individuals, a cap on fees charged to businesses and Pix being displayed on apps’ main screens[2]. In July came the 25% tariff on imports from Brazil, with exceptions[11].

The signals

What Flávio wrote to Washington

On 2 June, a day after the accusation against Pix, Flávio wrote to the US secretary of state: he asked for no tariff and placed his transition team “at your disposal”[6]. On July 1, to the USTR, he challenged the complaint against Pix and asked for the tariff to be suspended[4][12].

In the same document, he offered the law against Pix connections to “non-Western” systems as a “decisive signal”; use within Brazil does not change[5]. He proposed easing regulation and taxes on cards, which compete with Pix, and wrote that he seeks “the same outcomes” as the US president[4].

The vote

Who will sit at that table

Lula said that “Pix belongs to Brazil” and that nobody would make the country change it[13]; his government, which negotiated for a year, did not prevent the 25% tariff[14]. Flávio says that “Brazil cannot fight with the United States”[3] and promised the US, if elected, to appoint a negotiator immediately for the six areas of the investigation, Pix among them[4].

On October 25, the vote decides who sits at that table on behalf of the 148 million people who used Pix in 2025[7].

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References14 sources

  1. 01SBT News · Flávio também agradeceu a Trump por tarifas em 2025Flávio’s post at 23:16 on 9 July 2025, the Magnitsky Act against Moraes and the statement about Eduardo on Jornal Nacional.(opens in a new tab)
  2. 02USTR · Aviso de determinação e pedido de comentários sobre ação da Seção 301 contra práticas do BrasilThe conclusion that Brazil favors Pix, its “national champion”, the list of complaints and the launch of Pix in November 2020.(opens in a new tab)
  3. 03Poder360 · “Pix é do Brasil, Pix é do Bolsonaro”, afirma FlávioFlávio, to the newspaper O Tempo: “Nobody will touch Pix” and “Brazil cannot fight with the United States”.(opens in a new tab)
  4. 04Gabinete do senador Flávio Bolsonaro · Comentário escrito sobre a ação proposta, processo USTR-2026-0331The “decisive signal” on Pix, relief for cards, the challenge to the complaint, the request for suspension, the promised negotiator and “the same outcomes” sought by the US president.(opens in a new tab)
  5. 05CNN Brasil · Flávio propõe aos EUA barrar Pix de sistemas “não-ocidentais”The translation of the proposed “legislative commitment” and Flávio’s challenge to the unfair competition argument.(opens in a new tab)
  6. 06Gabinete do senador Flávio Bolsonaro · Ofício-Ext nº 008/2026-GSFB ao secretário de Estado Marco RubioThe request for the US not to impose tariffs, the transition team “at your disposal” and the closing “God bless America, and God bless Brazil”.(opens in a new tab)
  7. 07Banco Central do Brasil · Relatório de Gestão do Pix – 2ª edição148 million people, 86% of adults, and almost 80 billion Pix transactions in 2025.(opens in a new tab)
  8. 08Poder360 · Leia a íntegra da carta de Trump a Lula impondo tarifa de 50%The 50% tariff, the justification citing Jair Bolsonaro and the order to open the Section 301 investigation.(opens in a new tab)
  9. 09Agência Brasil · Por unanimidade, STF condena Eduardo Bolsonaro no caso do tarifaçoEduardo Bolsonaro’s conviction for coercion during legal proceedings.(opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Lupa · No JN, Flávio Bolsonaro nega aquecimento global e erra sobre Pix, Dark Horse e ataques às urnasPix was conceived by Banco Central in 2018, under Temer’s government.(opens in a new tab)
  11. 11Federal Register · Aviso de ação da Seção 301 sobre práticas do Brasil em comércio digital e pagamentos eletrônicosThe 25% tariff on all imports from Brazil, with exceptions.(opens in a new tab)
  12. 12Poder360 · Flávio pediu suspensão de tarifaço e propôs negociar se vencerFlávio said he opposed the tariffs, asked for suspension and proposed negotiations if elected.(opens in a new tab)
  13. 13CNN Brasil · “Ninguém vai fazer a gente mudar o Pix”, diz Lula após relatório dos EUALula: “Pix belongs to Brazil, and nobody will make us change Pix”.(opens in a new tab)
  14. 14USTR · Ação da Seção 301 do USTR sobre atos, políticas e práticas injustificáveis do BrasilA year of negotiations with Brazil did not resolve the complaints; the 25% tariff was applied.(opens in a new tab)