Since March, Eduardo Bolsonaro, 41, federal deputy, has been circulating through the corridors of the White House.
His mission in Washington has been to convince American officials that a Brazilian Supreme Court minister intends to arrest him, him and his father, Jair Bolsonaro, for contesting an election they consider fraudulent.
This narrative found echo among American officers. “This is, pure and simply, an attack on a political opponent-something I know well!” Wrote President Donald Trump on Monday. “It was worse with me a thousand times.”
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Eduardo said he had been asking the White House authorities to apply sanctions to Minister Alexandre de Moraes, responsible for conducting investigations and lawsuits against Jair Bolsonaro.
However, on Wednesday, Trump opted for a much more drastic measure: from August 1, in retaliation to what he called “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro.
Sources present at the meeting where Trump defended the measure confided that the decision was made by him, with the clear objective of pressing Brazil.
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In addition to being legally controversial, the measure shows the willingness of the US president to use fares as a political weapon, capable of causing great economic impact and expanding diplomatic pressure.
“I love it,” said Steve Bannon. He had been defending sanctions against the Brazilian minister, but admitted that he did not even consider tariffs. “Now it’s simple: if you abandon the process, the tariffs fall.”
Asked if this did not characterize extortion, he answered only: “It’s the Maga, my friend. It’s a brave world.”
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Eduardo Bolsonaro, commentator Paulo Figueiredo and lawyers of the Rumble Platform – a constant frequency of conservative and banned public in Brazil – have lobbyed with members of Congress and the US government in recent months. Hearings were held, with the support of white house advisors.
“Trump decided to go to the attack in full force. This says a lot about him,” said Eduardo, who since February has lived in Texas and has been under investigation in Brazil for interference in the case of his father. “It’s the same witch hunt he suffered in the US, and that generates empathy.”
Eduardo has built a influence on Trump’s circle over the years: he speaking English, he was in Washington before the acts of January 6, 2021 and the sea-lag on the night of the 2024 American election. He also dinner with Trump on Mar-ago.
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Trump’s decision has generated the largest diplomatic crisis among the two largest countries in the Americas in over a decade, as well as representing a major challenge for President Lula, who now seeks to reposition himself as a candidate in 2026.
stating that Brazil will not give up the lawsuits against Bolsonaro and will announce new rates against American products. “Brazil is a sovereign country, with independent institutions, and will not accept guardianship,” he said in a note on Wednesday.
The impasse began on Sunday, when Trump reacted to Lula’s speech about unfair trade during a meeting of BRICS leaders ,.
In the second, Trump quoted Brazil directly: “He is not guilty of anything except to have fought for the people.”
Lula reacted: “He needs to know that the world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”
Two days later, Trump announced the 50%rate, claiming that Bolsonaro suffers judicial “persecution” and that the Supreme Court would have had supporters from supporters on social networks – and incorrectly cite an alleged commercial deficit, when, in fact, US surplus with Brazil was $ 7.4 billion in 2024.
The crisis puts Lula in a delicate situation. On the one hand, the tariff war; On the other hand, giving in to Trump would mean drawing the democratic values it defends, especially in a country where foreign intervention has always been seen with suspicion.
“The interference of one country in the sovereignty of another,” Lula said in an interview. “And even more serious, the interference of a president of a country in the judiciary of mine.”
He plans to take the case to the World Trade Organization (WTO), but rules out Trump for now. “I have nothing to argue with the president.”
but avoids wide measures that may harm national companies that depend on US inputs, official sources said.
If the impasse persists, the economic one may suffer. The US is the main buyer of Brazilian steel and coffee, besides being the second largest destination of national meat.
Trade between countries broke record in 2024, with Brazilian exports to the US market totaling US $ 40.3 billion – about 15% of total exports in Brazil.
In recent months, Brazil had been benefited from the global tariff dispute: beef exports folded and coffee grew more than 40% by May, while rivals faced tariffs, according to LogComex data.
whose support was falling and today it is slightly behind Bolsonaro in the surveys for 2026. Analyst Thomas Traumann said, “Lula must be loving – now he has an external enemy, and any economic difficulty could be attributed to Trump and Bolsonaro.”
The rates come into force on the eve of Bolsonaro’s trial by conspiracy to remain in power after losing the election of 2022. He is accused of planning a blow, dismantling the judiciary and giving special powers to the Armed Forces.
After the defeat, thousands of his supporters demanded military intervention and, on January 8, 2023, invaded public buildings in Brasilia. He denies that he has encouraged the act.
In the most serious prosecution, prosecutors claim that Bolsonaro was aware of a plan to murder Lula, Moraes and the vice president, who was telephone records that indicate that an advisor printed the plan twice within the presidency-on one occasion with the then president. Bolsonaro denied any involvement, but admitted that he studied constitutional alternatives to stay in power.
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