The tension rises between Brazil and the United States after the announcement made by Donald Trump this week to impose customs duties of 50 % on the first economy of Latin America. While claiming to want to correct a trade deficit between the two countries that disadvantage the United States, according to him, the Republican thus seeks to put pressure on the Brazilian government to abandon prosecution targeting his friend, Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazilian justice accuses this other populist of having been the leader “of a criminal organization” who conspired “to keep himself in power” after his defeat during the presidential election in October 2022.
Thursday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, announced the creation of a working group to decide on the response to 50 % customs duties that Donald Trump threatens to impose in Brazil from the 1is next August. The day before, Lula had strongly refuted the claims of her American counterpart on their commercial relations, recalling by press release that the United States government was taking advantage of a “trade surplus of $ 410 billion in the exchange of goods and service with Brazil for the last 15 years”.
Statistics from the headquarters of American executive power also give it reason and even specify, according to the most recent count, that in 2024 American exports to Brazil were surplus of $ 7.4 billion, compared to the previous year, according to the office of the US trade representative.
“Consequently, any unilateral increase in customs duties will be dealt with in accordance with the Brazilian law of economic reciprocity,” Lula continued in her press release.
This law was promulgated on April 14, shortly after the announcement made by Donald Trump that he wanted to impose significant customs duties on many countries. It authorizes the Brazilian legislative power to “adopt countermeasures in the form of restrictions on the importation of goods and services or measures to suspend concessions in the fields of trade, investments and obligations linked to intellectual property rights, as well as measures to suspend other obligations provided for in the country’s trade agreements”.
Relations between Washington and Brasília have deteriorated in the last days, after the call launched on Monday by Donald Trump to “leave quiet” Jair Bolsonaro, victim, according to the American president, of a “witch hunt”. These are the same words that the Republican used against his political opponents when American justice investigated his role in the insurrection launched against Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington.
“Political persecution against [Jair Bolsonaro]his family and his supporters is shameful and undermines the democratic traditions of Brazil, “added the American Embassy this week in Brazil in a press release, taking over the statements of the American president, Donald Trump, who, since his return to power, seeks to install an authoritarian regime in his country.
On Wednesday, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US official in Brazil to protest against the support of the Embassy to the former Brazilian far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
In the evening, on network X, the Brazilian president, Lula, recalled that the justice of his country was “independent” and that Brazil “is a sovereign nation with independent institutions [qui] will not accept any form of guardianship ”.
“The legal proceedings against those responsible for the coup d’etat are exclusively of the jurisdiction of the Brazilian judiciary and, as such, are not subject to any interference or threat likely to compromise the independence of national institutions,” he added.
The former Brazilian ultra-conservative ex-operator faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison if he is found guilty of the accusations brought against him before the Supreme Court of the country. His trial could lead in the coming months.
Put under pressure by Washington, Lula has also returned the threat to the United States and its digital companies by reminding them of their obligation, in the context, to reject “hateful content” and anti-democratic speeches on their platforms if they wish to continue their activities in Brazil.
“On digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child psychiatrist, scams, fraud and speeches affecting human rights and democratic freedoms,” he wrote in a public declaration.
“In Brazil, freedom of expression should not be confused with the assault or violent declarations. All companies, whether national or foreign, must comply with Brazilian legislation to do business on our territory, “he added.
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