Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs over Bolsonaro trial

BarcelonaUS President Donald Trump is also resorting to the threat of raising tariffs to defend his friends and allies. The latest target of his attacks is now Brazil, against which he has said he will raise tariffs from the planned 10% to 50% starting August 1 in response to the "witch hunt" he believes is being waged by former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. The former Brazilian president has an open judicial process for the attempted coup d'état in the country in 2022.

Trump has sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which he posted on social media, where he also criticizes what he considers ILLEGAL attacks on the freedom of expression of Americans on US social media platforms. Lula immediately responded to the networks to warn that any tariff will be responded to with reciprocal measures in accordance with Brazilian law and to reject any "interference" in the Brazilian judicial system. "No one is above the law," said Lula. The Brazilian president had already warned days ago, when Trump goes threaten tariffs on any country that aligned itself with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa): "We don't want emperors"

In addition to the threat of quintuple tariffs on Brazil, one of the countries with the most balanced trade balance with the United States, Trump has also ordered an investigation into trade practices and Brazil's continued attacks on the digital business activities of American companies.

Trump's letter to Lula is One of the 22 letters that the American president has sent This week, Trump sent a message to leaders from several countries warning them of potential tariffs that will take effect on August 1. Trump, in response to the message sent to Lula, called the 50% tariffs "necessary" to "rectify the grave injustices of the current regime" in the country.

Trump also announced Wednesday night tariffs on 50% copper imports, starting August 1. The president blamed the decline of the U.S. copper industry on previous administrations and noted that copper is critically needed for semiconductors, airplanes, electric vehicle batteries, and military equipment. "America will once again build a DOMINANT copper industry," Trump wrote on Truth Social.