Brazil, US officials agree to meet in Washington to discuss trade

SAO PAULO, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and United States State Secretary Marco Rubio agreed on a meeting between teams from both countries in Washington to discuss trade, Brazil's government said in a statement on Thursday.

The two authorities held a phone call earlier in the day in which Rubio suggested an in person meeting with Vieira to discuss priority issues in the relationship between Brazil and the U.S., the statement added.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had said on Thursday that Rubio's call was a follow up to his and President Donald Trump's talk on Monday.

In an interview with local radio station Piata FM, Lula said he was surprised about the outcome of the conversation with Trump, in which we requested the removal of tariffs on Brazilian exports to the United States.