President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a 50-percent tariff on Wednesday on Brazilian products sent into the United States, citing the “witch hunt” against conservative former President Jair Bolsonaro, which he described as an “international disgrace.”
The tariff would go into effect on August 1.
President Trump, in a letter addressed to radical leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also cited attacks on free elections in Brazil and attacks against the fundamental right of free speech of Americans as reasons for the tariff. The latter, he explained, was the result of censorship orders from the nation’s top court, the Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF), against U.S.-based social media platforms.
“Due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans,” Trump wrote in his letter, “starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Brazil a Tariff of 50% on any and all Brazilian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.”
Trump said in the letter that the 50-percent tariff is “far less” that what it is needed to balance trade between America and Brazil. He stressed to Lula that if he decides to raise Brazil’s tariffs on the United States, “whatever the number you choose to raise them by will be added onto the 50-percent that we charge.”
“Please understand that these Tariffs are necessary to correct the many years of Brazil’s Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, causing these unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States,” Trump said. “This Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!”
The announcement comes days after President Trump published a message on his social media platform Truth Social supportive of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who, after leaving office in January 2023, has been the target of STF criminal investigations. STF Minister (Justice) Alexandre de Moraes, a self-styled “anti-fake news crusader,” has been at the forefront of an investigation and censorship campaign against some of Brazil’s most prominent conservative figures, allegedly to combat “fake news.” Bolsonaro has been his most high-profile target.
Bolsonaro, who is banned from running for public office until 2030, is presently facing a trial on accusations that he conspired with several others to poison Lula and stage a “coup” after he narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election. If found guilty, Bolsonaro could face up to 39 years in prison, a sentence the 70-year-old former President said during a March interview would mark the “end of his life.”
In addition to the ongoing “coup” trial, Bolsonaro is facing allegations that he misappropriated a set of expensive jewelry gifted to Brazil by the government of Saudi Arabia while president. Bolsonaro had also been accused of falsifying a coronavirus vaccination card to enter the United States in 2022, but the charges were dropped in March after prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a trial.
President Lula responded to Trump’s letter in a lengthy Twitter post in which he declared that “Brazil is a sovereign country with independent institutions that will not accept being controlled by anyone.”
Lula claimed that the information on the “alleged” U.S. trade deficit with its commercial relationship with Brazil is “false,” asserting that “statistics from the U.S. government itself show a surplus of $410 billion in the trade of goods and services with Brazil over the past 15 years.” Lula also said that any “unilateral tariff” increase will be reciprocated by Brazil.
“The judicial proceedings against those responsible for planning the coup d’état fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of Brazil´s Judicial Branch and, as such, are not subject to any interference or threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions,” Lula’s message read.
“In the context of digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom,” the message continued. “In Brazil, freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices. All companies—whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory.”
A copy of Lula’s response, alongside its official English translation, was posted on the official website of the Brazilian presidency.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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