Former chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Rui Rio, commented on Friday about the new “reciprocal tariffs” announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, targeting multiple countries.
In a post on the social networking site X, Rui Rio remarked that “Trump believes that when the U.S. has a trade deficit, it is not due to lower competitiveness, but rather to ‘hidden’ tariffs” and “hence thinks his tariffs aim at reciprocity.”
“Perhaps some will better understand the danger of voting in ignorance… at whatever level,” he stated.
On Wednesday, in what he termed “liberation day,” Trump imposed a minimum tariff of 10% on imports from 184 countries and territories, including the European Union (EU).
Trump acha que quando os EUA têm um défice comercial, isso não se deve a uma menor competitividade, mas sim a tarifas “escondidas”. Daí achar que as suas tarifas visam a reciprocidade.
Talvez alguns agora percebam melhor o perigo de votarmos na ignorância … seja a que nível for. https://t.co/PbyQHrCBwm— Rui Rio (@RuiRioPT) April 4, 2025
The new tariffs have been applied to all imports, with additional charges for countries considered particularly hostile to trade.
The basic tariff of 10% will take effect on Saturday, while the additional country-specific tariffs are set to be enforced next Wednesday.
The original report further noted perspectives from other regions not detailed here, including the response from São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde regarding the economic impact of these tariffs.
