Hit with 50% U.S. Tariffs, Brazil to Join BRICS Nations in Response | WPN World People News

Media reports indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the imposition of tariffs as high as 50% on imports from Brazil, effective August 1st. The move has sparked strong dissatisfaction from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who condemned the U.S. for undermining the international order. Lula stated that he would work with other BRICS countries, including China and India, to formulate a joint response and counter what he described as American trade bullying.

According to reports, Trump justified the high tariffs on Brazil by citing political persecution of his ally, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. In early 2023, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress and Supreme Court in a violent uprising. As a result, Bolsonaro remains under multiple criminal investigations. On August 4th, Brazil's Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to be placed under house arrest, banning him from going out, using a mobile phone, or receiving visitors.

The report also mentioned that Lula strongly denounced U.S. interference in Brazil's sovereignty and declared that he had no intention of backing down. He said that negotiating with Trump at this point was meaningless. Lula plans to join forces with leaders of other BRICS nations, including India and China, to explore collective responses to the U.S. tariffs. He is also considering working with other countries to file a joint complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).