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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has accused US President Donald Trump of turning America into a "pirate" state after Washington announced plans to charge ships a 20 per cent fee for transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest maritime chokepoints.
The development follows an announcement by Trump on Monday (July 13) stating that the US would now be referred to as the "GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT," and will begin collecting a 20 per cent toll on ships passing through the vital shipping route. The policy shift comes three weeks after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that no country can charge tolls through the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a public event in So Paulo state on Monday, Lula mocked Trump's proposal to collect payments from commercial vessels in return for keeping the strategic waterway open, according to Al Jazeera. "President Trump tweeted that he will unblock the Strait of Hormuz. But for every ship... the oil owner must pay him 20 per cent. This used to be considered piracy," Lula said. "A major nation like the United States... cannot now become a pirate," the Brazilian leader added. The remarks were made hours after Trump declared the new tolls and announced the return of a naval blockade targeting Iranian ships and vessels trading with Tehran, while allowing all other maritime traffic to continue. Trump's announcement has revived intense scrutiny of comments made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio less than a month ago. On June 23, Rubio argued that no country had the legal authority to impose tolls on ships using the Strait of Hormuz, describing the passage as an international waterway protected under international law. "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway," Rubio had said. "That's existing international law." Those remarks appear to clash directly with Trump's latest policy, which would require commercial vessels to pay Washington for safe passage through the strait. Following Trump's announcement, the United Nations' International Maritime Organization echoed Rubio's earlier position, stating there is "no legal basis" for imposing mandatory transit fees on ships using international straits. Lula linked the latest escalation in the Gulf to rising living costs in Brazil, asserting that higher oil prices have already pushed up the cost of fuel and everyday essentials, including beans, rice, tomatoes and onions. The Brazilian government has introduced temporary measures to cushion consumers from rising fuel prices following the renewed conflict involving Iran, while revenue from a tax on crude oil exports introduced earlier this year is being used to offset some of the economic impact. (ANI)
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