Tensions are rising between Brazil and the United States over tariffs and a high-stakes trial. President Lula da Silva is accusing the US of interfering in Brazil’s justice system, while President Trump throws his support behind former leader Jair Bolsonaro.

Rio de Janeiro

Donald Trump has signed an order to impose tariffs imports into the U.S. from countries including China, Mexico and Canada.

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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has accused the United States of attempting to pressure Brazil's Supreme Court through the threat of tariffs, following a public letter from U.S. President Donald Trump supporting former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, who faces trial for allegedly attempting to orchestrate a coup after losing the 2022 election, has welcomed Trump's intervention, while Lula has condemned it as an attack on Brazil's sovereignty.

The dispute has sparked debate within Brazil, with some citizens supporting Trump's stance and others viewing it as foreign interference. Recent polls indicate a rise in Lula's approval ratings and increased public support for the government, as many Brazilians see the U.S. pressure as a threat to their democratic institutions. The situation has raised questions about the future of trade negotiations and the potential impact of proposed U.S. tariffs on Brazil's economy.

Tensions rising between Brazil and U.S. over tariffs

In a nationally televised address, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Brazil had always been open to trade negotiations with the United States, but that the country will not accept tariffs being used to blackmail or pressure its Supreme Court into halting the trial of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Trying to interfere in the Brazilian justice system is a serious attempt against our sovereignty. Minutes before Lula's speech, U.S. President Donald Trump released a public letter addressed to Bolsonaro. In it, he made clear that in Brazil's case, the real issue isn't trade, it's politics and loyalty to a man who has long admired him. Bolsonaro is accused of trying to orchestrate a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election to Lula. He's expected to be sentenced to prison in the coming weeks. The trial should end immediately, Trump wrote, adding that he had voiced his disapproval both publicly and through trade policy. Bolsonaro welcomed the tariff threat. Trump doesn't like injustices. The world is watching my trial and knows that it's a farce. The rising tension between Trump and Bolsonaro on one side and Lula on the other was felt on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, at this open-air market. It's absurd. Trump is interfering in our democracy and our independent judicial system. Everybody here knows that Jair Bolsonaro is guilty of attempting a coup and should be behind bars. Trump's tariffs are just perfect. They'll accomplish what I want. Brazilians will be even more unsatisfied with the economy and will react by voting Lula out and bringing Bolsonaro back. But Trump's move may have backfired. Lula's approval ratings, which had been falling, rose by 2%. And new polls show a majority of Brazilians siding with the government, seeing Trump's pressure as a foreign attack on their democratic institutions. Lula will be running for re-election next year and may benefit from Trump's threats to harm Brazil's economy. What we've seen in other countries, like Canada and Germany, is that governments attacked fiercely by Trump tend to do better with voters. The question now remains whether Lula's popularity and Brazil's economy can hold up if 50% tariffs are actually imposed on August 1st. And how much space remains for trade negotiations when politics is taking center stage. Monica Iannacchia Valdezira, Rio de Janeiro.

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Tensions rising between Brazil and U.S. over tariffs

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