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The United States has imposed a 50% tariff and additional sanctions targeting Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Some shit you should know before you read: Back in 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed Brazil’sCongress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace in Brasília, refusing to accept the results of the 2022 election in which Jair Bolsonaro lost to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The attack, which occurred just days after Lula’s inauguration, was widely seen as an attempted coup. Investigators say Bolsonaro played a central role in inciting the unrest, citing evidence including leaked meeting transcripts, communications with military officials, and his repeated public claims of voter fraud. They also allege he sought foreign support—particularly from former President Donald Trump—to challenge the legitimacy of Brazil’s judicial system. Bolsonaro denies all charges, arguing that the government and judiciary are persecuting him for political reasons. He claims the case is part of a broader campaign to silence conservative voices, citing his popularity and international allies as proof that the prosecution lacks merit.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. The order, issued from the White House, is due to the “politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship and prosecution” of former President Jair Bolsonaro. In a statement, the administration said Brazil’s actions posed “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.” The order exempts specific products such as orange juice and aircraft parts, but applies broadly to most other imports from Brazil.
The 50% tariff had been previously hinted at in early July, when Trump released a letter to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warning of consequences over Brazil’s treatment of US tech companies and Bolsonaro.
In a statement, the White House defended the move, arguing that “President Trump is defending American companies from extortion, protecting American persons from political persecution, and safeguarding American free speech from censorship.”
Alongside the tariff, the Treasury Department imposed additional sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes under the Global Magnitsky Act, which enables the US to target individuals involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption abroad. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions — including against former President Jair Bolsonaro.”
The sanctions freeze any US-based assets belonging to de Moraes and prohibit Americans from engaging in financial transactions with him.
These latest sanctions follow an earlier action taken on July 21, when the State Department issued visa restrictions on de Moraes and several other Brazilian judicial officials.
