Brazil's government on Friday downplayed the impact of the 50% tariff U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose on imports from that country, as leaders from both nations expressed a cautious willingness to negotiate in the future.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday that he will impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States if President Donald Trump follows through on a pledge to boost import taxes by 50% over the South American country’s criminal trial against his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

In a letter to Lula earlier in the week, Trump linked the proposed tariffs to Bolsonaro’s ongoing prosecution, leaving little room for Brazil to maneuver. Lula, speaking to TV Globo, condemned Trump’s rationale as “extremely outrageous,” stating that Bolsonaro “didn’t just try to stage a coup—he tried to prepare my death.”