Brasilia - Saba:
US tariffs of 50% on Brazilian products took effect on Wednesday, seven days after US President Donald Trump signed a decree to that effect.
Although it was not expected that Brazil would be affected by the tariffs, which exceed the 10% minimum currently applied to a large segment of products imported to the United States, the US president announced his intention to impose an additional 50% tax, the highest ever imposed on a single country.
The Swiss newspaper "24 Heures" reported that the US president blamed the Brazilian judiciary for prosecuting former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting a coup after his defeat in the 2022 presidential election.
Trump described these prosecutions as a "witch hunt," which led to US sanctions against Alexandre de Moraes, a judge in the Brazilian Supreme Court.
The tariffs sparked widespread reactions in Brazil, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticizing the infringement on his country's "sovereignty" and downplaying the impact of these additional duties.
Trump's executive order exempts hundreds of products, from nuts to energy, including those in the aviation industry and orange juice. However, some important sectors, such as coffee, will be subject to additional duties of 50%.
According to the Brazilian government, only 36% of the country's exports to the United States will be affected by these taxes.
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