Breitbart

Brazil’s Top Judge Meddles in Trump Tariff Talks, Claiming Courts Don’t Censor or Persecute Conservatives

Bloomberg

Brazilians Back Lula Against Trump, Calling Tariffs Unjustified

Metaculus

Will Lula be reelected in 2026?

<h2></h2>

Brazilian Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso published an open letter on Sunday saying that reasons for the U.S. to impose a new tariff on all Brazilian goods are based on an "inaccurate understanding of the facts" as he asserted that "no one is being persecuted" and that there is no censorship in Brazil.

Agência Brasil

Brazilian Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso published an open letter on Sunday saying that reasons for the U.S. to impose a new tariff on all Brazilian goods are based on an "inaccurate understanding of the facts" as he asserted that "no one is being persecuted" and that there is no censorship in Brazil.

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump announced in an open letter last week that starting on August 1, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/trump-imposes-tariff-on-brazil-over-bolsonaro-trial">all Brazilian exports to the U.S. would face an additional 50% tariff</a> over what he described as a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/trump-defends-bolsonaro-as-brazil-rejects-us-interference">"Witch Hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro</a> and attacks on Americans' free speech rights.

XINHUA

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump announced in an open letter last week that starting on August 1, all Brazilian exports to the U.S. would face an additional 50% tariff over what he described as a "Witch Hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro and attacks on Americans' free speech rights.

The U.S. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Darren Beattie said on Monday that Trump's letter imposed "long-overdue consequences on [Justice Alexandre] de Moraes' supreme court and Lula's government for" attacks on Bolsonaro and freedom of speech, and warned that the U.S. will watch closely the situation.

U.S. Senior Official for Public Diplomacy

The U.S. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Darren Beattie said on Monday that Trump's letter imposed "long-overdue consequences on [Justice Alexandre] de Moraes' supreme court and Lula's government for" attacks on Bolsonaro and freedom of speech, and warned that the U.S. will watch closely the situation.

Also on Monday, Brazil's Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet called for a guilty verdict <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/bolsonaro-faces-supreme-court-in-brazil-coup-plot-trial">in the coup trial against Bolsonaro and seven of his closest allies</a> in a hundreds-page long document. Now, each defendant has 15 days to present their case — and a ruling is expected by late 2025.

The Associated Press

The Rio Times

Also on Monday, Brazil's Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet called for a guilty verdict in the coup trial against Bolsonaro and seven of his closest allies in a hundreds-page long document. Now, each defendant has 15 days to present their case — and a ruling is expected by late 2025.

Meanwhile, news broke out that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.improvethenews.org/story/2025/brazil-court-blocks-rumble-over-legal-compliance-dispute">Rumble</a> and Trump Media <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.improvethenews.org/story/2025/trump-media-and-rumble-sue-brazilian-judge-over-censorship">took further legal action against Moraes</a> in the wake a recent order to block the account of Rodrigo Constantino, a U.S.-based commentator who holds dual U.S. and Brazilian citizenship, and provide his personal data to Brazilian authorities.

Glenn Greenwald

Meanwhile, news broke out that Rumble and Trump Media took further legal action against Moraes in the wake a recent order to block the account of Rodrigo Constantino, a U.S.-based commentator who holds dual U.S. and Brazilian citizenship, and provide his personal data to Brazilian authorities.

According to an Atlas/Bloomberg poll conducted online from Friday to Sunday and published on Tuesday, Lula has seen a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/lulas-approval-hits-record-lows-as-election-looms">slight increase in his net approval rating</a>, -0.6%, up from -4.5% in June, as 62.2% of the respondents say Trump's new tariff is unjustified and 70% considered Brazil's response either appropriate or too week.

Atlas Intel

Valor International

According to an Atlas/Bloomberg poll conducted online from Friday to Sunday and published on Tuesday, Lula has seen a slight increase in his net approval rating, -0.6%, up from -4.5% in June, as 62.2% of the respondents say Trump's new tariff is unjustified and 70% considered Brazil's response either appropriate or too week.

Breitbart #1

Bloomberg #0

Metaculus #0

Agência Brasil #

Breitbart #6079

XINHUA #

The Associated Press #

The Rio Times #

Glenn Greenwald #

Atlas Intel #

Bloomberg #

Valor International #

One may agree or not with Trump's tariffs. Regarding Brazil, there's indeed a risk that his decision to impose a new 50% tariff on the country's goods could backfire and actually strengthens Lula and Moraes' hand at home. However, Trump is not wrong when it comes to understanding the situation in Brazil as democratic norms and the rule of law in the country are collapsing due to the authoritarian Supreme Court overstepping its bounds to silence political criticism from the right.

One may agree or not with Trump's tariffs. Regarding Brazil, there's indeed a risk that his decision to impose a new 50% tariff on the country's goods could backfire and actually strengthens Lula and Moraes' hand at home. However, Trump is not wrong when it comes to understanding the situation in Brazil as democratic norms and the rule of law in the country are collapsing due to the authoritarian Supreme Court overstepping its bounds to silence political criticism from the right.

Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal #

Trump’s Brazilian Trade War

Trump's crude blackmail attempt against Brazil is doomed to fail and represents an authoritarian fantasy that a sovereign nation's judiciary would halt prosecutions to avoid economic retaliation. The tariff threat undermines U.S. leadership by violating World Trade Organization commitments while strengthening Lula's position domestically. Trump's justifications are riddled with lies since the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Brazil, not a deficit.

Trump's crude blackmail attempt against Brazil is doomed to fail and represents an authoritarian fantasy that a sovereign nation's judiciary would halt prosecutions to avoid economic retaliation. The tariff threat undermines U.S. leadership by violating World Trade Organization commitments while strengthening Lula's position domestically. Trump's justifications are riddled with lies since the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Brazil, not a deficit.

Folha de S.Paulo

Trump's Crude Blackmail Won't Work

There's a 32% chance that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be reelected as Brazil's president in October 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 32% chance that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be reelected as Brazil's president in October 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Metaculus #

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

Brazil

Economic conditions & trends

Legal system

Politics

United States of America

Brazil is a sovereign and democratic nation, whose judicial system operates independently and in strict accordance with due process, so Trump's attempt to blackmail the country with economic retaliation in a bid to halt the prosecution of Bolsonaro is doomed to fail. If anything, this new tariff has actually exposed that the Bolsonaros are no patriots, but rather people who would attack their own country to try to save their skin.

Brazil is a sovereign and democratic nation, whose judicial system operates independently and in strict accordance with due process, so Trump's attempt to blackmail the country with economic retaliation in a bid to halt the prosecution of Bolsonaro is doomed to fail. If anything, this new tariff has actually exposed that the Bolsonaros are no patriots, but rather people who would attack their own country to try to save their skin.

One may agree or not with Trump's tariffs. Regarding Brazil, there's indeed a risk that his decision to impose a new 50% tariff on the country's goods could backfire and strengthen Lula and Moraes' hand at home. However, Trump is not wrong when it comes to understanding the situation in Brazil as democratic norms and the rule of law in the country are collapsing due to the authoritarian Supreme Court overstepping its bounds to silence political criticism from the right.

One may agree or not with Trump's tariffs. Regarding Brazil, there's indeed a risk that his decision to impose a new 50% tariff on the country's goods could backfire and strengthen Lula and Moraes' hand at home. However, Trump is not wrong when it comes to understanding the situation in Brazil as democratic norms and the rule of law in the country are collapsing due to the authoritarian Supreme Court overstepping its bounds to silence political criticism from the right.

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

Brazil's Chief Justice Responds to Trump, Denies Persecution of Bolsonaro

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free NewslettersSign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters