US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping 50 percent tariff on all Brazilian goods entering the US, citing that country's treatment of former president Jair Bolsonaro and alleged censorship targeting American platforms.
Trump denounced a trial Bolsonaro is facing as "an international disgrace" in a letter on Truth Social on Wednesday.
"This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!" said Trump as he praised Bolsonaro as "a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term."
Bolsonaro and seven others have been indicted for an attempted coup after Brazil's top court accepted charges against the former leader and his allies.
By a unanimous five-to-zero vote, the Supreme Court ruled that charges against Bolsonaro warranted a criminal trial.
The former president could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Trump accused Brazil's Supreme Court of infringing on US free speech, saying it "has issued hundreds of SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to US Social Media platforms, threatening them with Millions of Dollars in Fines and Eviction from the Brazilian Social Media market."
Needed to rectify injustices
Effective August 1, the US will impose a 50 percent tariff on all Brazilian exports.
"Goods transshipped to evade this 50 percent Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff," Trump added.
"Please understand that the 50 percent number is far less than what is needed to have the Level Playing Field we must have with your Country," he said.
He said that this was necessary to rectify what he described as the injustices done the government, which he referred to as "regime."
Trump warned of additional duties if Brazil retaliates. "Whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 50 percent that we charge," he added Earlier Wednesday, Trump said during a meeting with five African nations that the tariffs were "based on common sense, based on deficits, based on how we’ve been treated over the years and based on raw numbers."
"Brazil, as an example, has been not good to us. Not good at all," he added.
