Clifford Young, president of Ipsos Public Affairs: Trump’s decision to appoint Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead talks with Brazil signals that negotiations will be driven less by technical diplomacy and more by ideological strategy. Rubio’s hawkish positions on Venezuela, China and digital governance suggest Washington sees Brazil as a pivotal actor in a larger geopolitical contest rather than a conventional bilateral partner. On Venezuela, the United States will likely push Brasília to adopt a tougher stance toward Nicolás Maduro. Lula’s emphasis on regional autonomy and dialogue, however, limits how far he can go without alienating his domestic base. China poses an even greater challenge—as Brazil’s largest trading partner, Beijing is vital to its economy, and sweeping alignment with Washington is improbable. Targeted cooperation on strategic sectors such as 5G or critical minerals, though, remains possible. On social media regulation, Washington may seek coordination on information and platform…”