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 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil, is urging leading economies to complete stalled global trade talks warning that protectionism could tip the economic crisis into chaos.
"If the United States, Europe, Brazil close themselves, the crisis could become much bigger and produce chaos instead of a solution," Lula told industry leaders Monday in São Paulo during a visit by Jan Peter Balkenende, the prime minister of the Netherlands.
Brazil said last month it may challenge the legality of a "Buy American" clause in the US economic stimulus package at the World Trade Organization, or WTO.
Lula also intends to speak against global protectionism and for the completion of the WTO's Doha round at the Group of 20 meeting of leading economies in London next month.
"The Doha round was almost finished but we had elections in the United States and then India and politics dominated. Now, nothing stands in the way," said Lula. "The Doha round is more of a political than a financial decision."
The seven-year-old talks intended to further global free trade collapsed in July over differences between India and the United States on safeguards to protect farmers from a flood of food imports.
As a major commodities exporter, Brazil has been a key player in the Doha round and had hoped the G20 would honor a November pledge in Washington to avoid protectionism.
The United States Trade Representative warned on Monday there would be no agreement on the Doha round until other countries made stronger commitments to open their markets to US goods.
Lula frequently urges other countries to pour cash into anti-cyclical measures to help keep their economies afloat amid the global crisis but has himself refrained from massive public spending plans at home that would increase government debt.
"The solution to this crisis is more (free) market, more free trade and more competition - like the developed world always said over the past 30 years," underlined Lula da Silva.
However on a more sober tone Lula speaking at his radio program "Breakfast with the President" predicted that the Brazilian declining job market will begin to feel a difference later this month.
Brazil's manufacturing sector has been hard hit by the global slowdown with declining activity in steel, auto and aircraft industries leading to massive losses of jobs.
"I'm convinced and optimistic that we were the last (country) into the crisis and we'll be first out of the crisis," he underlined pointing out to the potential of the domestic market.
"Brazil is undergoing a slowdown not a recession, as most other countries" he added.
Mercopress
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And what about BRAZIL, ARGENTINA OR ANY SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY....if a foreign individual set up an account under a foreign offshore company in....Banco Itau either in Bahamas or SP or Rio ? Same for these individuals regardless of their passport name having the same set up with whatever Brazilian, Spanish, Italian, German or just name them..... BANKS ??????????? 
There will be not only more trade, but also goods at much cheaper prices....in Brazil.
In exchange, Developed nations, India, South Korea and China will also reduce their ethanol & grains & meats import taxes !
And they will also import more IRON ORE, cattle or packaged meats, orange juice, coffee beans.
But at a competitive price...as Robbing Hook fair proposals...opf course !
And why stop with vehicles ? Chinese textiles should not be limited in Brazil. It represents 1 % of your textile industry.
There is room to grow to 30-50 % !
Ohhhh and why dont your propose the same deal on steel products to other emerging nations ?
You could then close down nearly all your steels mills since as stated Robbing Hook is open to more free trade and competition. You would export iron ore...and re-import steels products at a much lower price than your own prices.
FACT is that your steel products are NOT competitive, wether you like or not !
INFLATION WOULD BE DOWN ! YOUR FAMOUS INTERESTS RATES AFTER INFLATION COULD ALSO FINALLY COME DOWN WHICH WOULD MAKE YOUR COMPANIES MORE COMPETITIVE ! And my source is qualified, since it comes from Sergio Machado, president of Petrobras Transporte SA, the transport arm of Petrobras,
"The company’s decision last week to purchase 24,000 metric tons of cheaper steel from a Chinese supplier prompted Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA, Brazil’s only supplier of heavy steel plates used to make the hulls of ships, to threaten to bring an anti-dumping case against Asian competitors.
Usiminas priced its steel 60 percent higher than the best bid by 11 steelmakers in seven countries, Sergio Machado, president of Petrobras Transporte SA, the transport arm of Petrobras, said in a Feb. 6 interview. "
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, the same should be done for financial and insurances services !
Or...or....or...does Robbing Hook meanS ONLY for brazilians EXPORTS...NOT IMPORTS ????
Is he as usual for a ONE WAY TRADE...OR A TWO WAYS TRADE...WITH RECIPROCITY RULES with both developed and emerging nations ?