When United States President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent import duties on Brazilian products in early August, it meant job losses and company closures here, and inflation in the US, since Brazil is one of the world’s largest food suppliers. Whatever Trump’s intention, the decision pushes Brazil closer to China.
The three reasons Trump cited for his new tariffs on Brazil were: 1) the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s Supreme Court for attempting a coup d’état; 2) trade relations with Brazil, which he calls unfair, despite the fact the US has consistently run a multi-billion dollar trade surplus with the country; 3) judicial rulings that force US big tech companies to comply with Brazilian law.
