Lula wants to export more cars, but Brazil’s exports fall 21.2% in the year

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that the next step for the Brazilian automotive industry is to expand exports to Latin America and Africa. The statement was made on July 22, during a meeting with ministers and executives of Stellantis in Brasilia, and is based on the expectation that the domestic market will return to the level of 3 million vehicles sold in 2026, according to Anfavea’s projection.

“We have to expand our capacity to export to Latin America and Africa, two very important and promising markets. We are able, as a country, to have a more effective and more numerous participation,” said the president.

In front of Antonio Filosa, global CEO of Stellantis, and Herlander Zola, the company’s president for South America, Lula made himself available to work together with the industry to remove obstacles to foreign sales. “We need to understand the difficulties and how to contribute to expanding exports,” he said.

Exports falling and imports on the rise

The president’s appeal comes at a time of retraction in shipments. According to Anfavea, Brazilian exports fell 21.2% in the first half of the year, to 216.6 thousand units, and the entity revised the projection for 2026 from a rise of 1.5% to a drop of 12.8%. Argentina, the main destination for national vehicles, bought about 60 thousand fewer Brazilian cars in the period, pressured by the economic downturn and competition from Chinese and Mexican models.

On the opposite path, imports advanced: 280.6 thousand units were registered from January to June, half of them of Chinese origin. The result returned the sector to the deficit in the trade balance, with about 63 thousand more vehicles entering than leaving the country.

Stellantis confirms 2 thousand vacancies

Lula’s speech followed a presentation by Filosa, who came to Brazil for the celebrations of Fiat’s 50th anniversary. The executive reiterated the investment of R$ 30 billion planned until 2030, which includes the production of the Fiat Argo X in Betim (MG) and the Jeep Avenger in Porto Real (RJ).

According to the automaker, there will be 2 thousand direct hires in 2026 – 1.5 thousand in Betim and 500 in Porto Real – a movement that made it possible to open the third shift at the Minas Gerais plant and the second in Rio de Janeiro. Considering the entire production chain, the company estimates 20 thousand new jobs in the year. In 2025, also according to the company, 3.7 thousand jobs were created directly and another 35 thousand among suppliers.

Filosa also highlighted the degree of nationalization of the operation. According to the executive, Stellantis buys more than R$ 60 billion per year from Brazilian suppliers and 95% of what it produces in the country is local, including steel, plastic, chemicals, engines and transmissions.