Trump Tariffs Spark Outrage in Brazil Amid Bolsonaro Coup Trial

What’s Behind the Protests?

From the streets of Sao Paulo to government squares in Brasilia, Brazilians set fire to effigies of President Donald Trump on Friday in protest of U.S. sanctions and trade penalties targeting their country. While demonstrations were modest in size, they reflected growing frustration over what many see as Washington’s interference in Brazil’s legal affairs.

According to AFP, the protests were sparked by Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian exports and sanction Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes—moves that critics say are designed to shield Trump’s political ally, Jair Bolsonaro, from prosecution.

Trump Calls Brazil’s Coup Trial a “Witch Hunt”

President Trump has defended Bolsonaro throughout the ongoing legal proceedings, calling the trial a “witch hunt” and accusing Brazil’s judiciary of targeting the former president for political reasons. Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly plotting to overturn the results of the 2022 election.

In a recent executive order, Trump authorized a sweeping 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, citing the “politically motivated persecution” of Bolsonaro. The order is scheduled to take effect on August 6. Trump’s Treasury Department also imposed personal sanctions on Justice Moraes, freezing any U.S. assets and barring him from entering the country.

Defiant Response from Brazil’s Judiciary

Justice Moraes delivered a rare public address on Friday, asserting that Brazil’s democratic institutions would not be cowed by foreign interference. “This Court, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Federal Police will not bow to these threats,” he said during a session of Brazil’s highest court, as quoted by AFP.

Moraes, a long-standing opponent of online disinformation and political extremism, has also clashed with Elon Musk over social media regulation. As part of the current investigation into Bolsonaro’s conduct, he ordered the former president to wear an electronic ankle monitor, observe a nighttime curfew, and refrain from using social media—restrictions designed to prevent further obstruction of justice, according to AFP.

U.S. Defense and Global Concern

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the sanctions, alleging that Moraes was responsible for “serious human rights abuses,” including violations of free speech and arbitrary detentions. Legal analysts in Brazil, however, say the accusations are politically timed and part of an effort to delegitimize the judiciary in favor of Trump’s far-right allies abroad.

Meanwhile, a Brazilian military general recently testified that Bolsonaro’s inner circle had discussed plans to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other senior officials—evidence that has intensified global attention on the trial.

Economic Fallout Looms

The 50% tariff is expected to have immediate consequences for Brazilian exporters, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing. As reported by AFP, economists warn that the sanctions could harm bilateral trade, strain regional partnerships, and embolden Bolsonaro’s political base by casting him as a victim of international conspiracy.

What’s Next?

The new tariffs take effect on August 6, just days before another court session in Bolsonaro’s trial. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to publicly pressure Brazil’s institutions, drawing condemnation from lawmakers and legal observers who fear democratic backsliding on both sides of the hemisphere.

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