Latest news with #BrazilianSupremeCourt
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Brazil's top court rules out Bolsonaro arrest after 'isolated' restriction breach
BRASILIA - Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes decided on Thursday not to order the arrest of former President Jair Bolsonaro for what he called an "isolated" breach of court-imposed restrictions but warned he could be imprisoned for future violations, according to a court filing. Moraes, who oversees the case in which Bolsonaro is charged with plotting a coup, last week ordered him to wear an ankle bracelet and banned him from using social media over allegations he courted the interference of U.S. President Donald Trump, who tied 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports to what he called a "witch hunt" against the former president. In his Thursday ruling, the justice kept in place the restraining orders he imposed on the former president last week and clarified he is not blocked from giving interviews. On Monday, Moraes had threatened Bolsonaro with arrest, saying he breached the restrictions on his social media – including through third parties – when he talked to journalists. Bolsonaro's lawyers on Tuesday told Moraes that the former president did not violate the ban and asked the court to clarify the exact scope of the restraining order. REUTERS
DW
22-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Brazil: Judge says Bolsonaro violated social media ban – DW – 07/22/2025
A court ruled that Bolsonaro made the speech to news outlets with the intent of it being circulated on social media, violating a ban. Meanwhile, the nation debates if such a ban should include news interviews. A Brazilian Supreme Court judge on Monday threatened Jair Bolsonaro with imprisonment after a video of him giving a speech to media outlets was circulated on social media by his allies — violating a social media ban. A document accessed by news agencies AFP and Reuters gave Bolsonaro's lawyers 24 hours to explain why he breached the restrictions placed on the far-right politician. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, on Friday, ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle braceletand banned him from using social media over allegations of planning a coup to oust elected president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. On Monday, the judge clarified that the ban included the use of social media through third parties. The clarification has sparked a debate in Brazil over whether a social media ban should include news interviews. Bolsonaro is also said to have pursued interference from US President Donald Trump who placed steep new tariffs on Brazil, tying the decision to what he called a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro. His reprimands include a ban from approaching embassies or foreign governments. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bolsonaro made the speech to journalists on Friday after attending Congress, where he first displayed his ankle monitor. The video of Bolsonaro's speech was not posted from his own social media account. However, it was shared by his sons and political allies. Moraes showed these posts to journalists in Congress, saying he believed the former president delivered the speech with the intention of it being shared on social media. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro's son Eduardo claimed that the Brazilian Supreme Court had passed an order to freeze his accounts and assets. The third of four sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro is a congressman who has been in Washington to gather support for his father.
Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Bolsonaro's son says Brazil's top court froze his assets
FILE PHOTO: Brazilian politician and lawyer Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, speaks as he attends an interview with the media during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Mexico City, Mexico, November 18, 2022. REUTERS/ Henry Romero/File Photo SAO PAULO - Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the freezing of the accounts and assets of former President Jair Bolsonaro's third son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, the latter said in a post on social media on Monday. Eduardo, a Brazilian congressman who has been in Washington to drum up support for his father, called the decision in a post on X "another arbitrary and criminal decision" by Moraes. CNN Brasil reported that the confidential decision was issued on Saturday as part of a probe into Eduardo Bolsonaro's conduct in the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has tied the imposition of steep tariffs on Brazilian goods on what he called a "witch hunt" against the former Brazilian president. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week revoked the visas of "Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members." The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the former president wear an ankle bracelet and banned him from using social media, among other measures over allegations he courted Trump's interference on the case. REUTERS
West Australian
10-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Donald Trump's trade offensive aims to settle score with countries, no matter their size
US President Donald Trump added Wednesday evening US time to his growing list of countries that would face steep tariffs in the coming weeks if they fail to reach trade agreements with the United States, as he threatens to drag nations large and small into his trade war. On his social media account, the President posted form letters informing countries, including the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Moldova, Brunei, Libya, Iraq and Algeria, that they should prepare for double-digit tariff rates. Except for the name of the country and the tariff rate, the letters were identical to those he posted Monday, which targeted 14 nations. Later Wednesday afternoon, Mr Trump issued another threat to impose a 50 per cent tariff on products from Brazil. His letter implied that the higher rate was partly in response to what Mr Trump described as a 'witch hunt' against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing trial for attempting a coup. Later that evening, Mr Trump escalated his tariff plans further, saying he would begin imposing a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper as of Aug. 1. The President said he was taking action because copper, which the United States imports from Chile, Canada and other countries, is crucial for national defence. The price of US copper futures has soared since Mr Trump mentioned he was planning a 50 per cent tariff during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday. Brazil and the other trading partners that Mr Trump targeted Wednesday join a growing list of countries that will face additional tariffs Aug 1, including Japan and South Korea. The President's renewed threats against both large and small trading partners suggests that he is hewing to a global tariff strategy he announced in early April that punishes countries broadly for a variety of trading practices and policies he has deemed unfair. In issuing his threat to Brazil, which was more sharply worded than the previous form letters, Mr Trump cited the country's 'insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans (as lately illustrated by the Brazilian Supreme Court, which has issued hundreds of SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to US Social Media platforms, threatening them with Millions of Dollars in Fines and Eviction from the Brazilian Social Media market).' As part of his attack, Mr Trump also directed his trade representative, Jamieson Greer, to begin investigating Brazil's digital trade policies, which could result in further tariffs. This week's threats essentially seek to replace steep tariffs the President announced in April, when he singled out roughly 60 countries that sell more goods to the United States than they buy from it. He said that those trade imbalances were evidence that foreign countries had long mistreated the United States, an assertion economists have criticised. The President had originally set July 8 as the last day for countries to sign trade deals with the United States to avoid those tariffs. At the urging of some of his advisers, on Monday he pushed the deadline back to Aug. 1. Many countries are racing to try to sign trade deals, including major trading partners like the European Union and India. In April, Peter Navarro, the President's top trade adviser, promised to sign 90 trade deals in 90 days. But it remains impractical for the United States to negotiate simultaneously with all of the countries the President has threatened with tariffs, something he acknowledged at the White House on Tuesday. 'We can't meet with 200 countries,' he said. Though some investors have doubted whether Mr Trump would follow through with his threats, the President insists that the August 1 deadline will not be delayed further. If that is the case, stiff tariffs will go into effect on imports from dozens of additional countries. The President has also been weighing further tariffs on a variety of critical industries, including copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber. The Administration appears to be finalising these actions, and some of those tariffs could come as early as the next few weeks. In a meeting Wednesday with a group of African leaders at the White House, Mr Trump said that tariffs would be 'a great thing for our country.' 'We've taken in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, hundreds of billions, and we haven't even started yet,' he said. He added that the United States 'really haven't had too many complaints because I'm keeping them at a very low number. Very conservative.' Mr Trump's letters repeatedly mentioned the bilateral trade deficits that the United States runs with other countries, calling them 'unsustainable' and 'a major threat' to the nation's economic security. Some economists believe that the overall US trade deficit with the world is problematic, because it means that fewer factories in the US employ Americans. But many economists have criticised the President's focus on the trade deficits with individual countries as a measure for US trading relationships. Economists argue that bilateral deficits with various countries occur for all kinds of reasons. The most important is simply that foreign countries may specialise in producing certain products that Americans prefer to buy — cars, gold, chocolate — which is not something a foreign government can or would want to control. It also seems unlikely that the United States could eliminate these trade deficits by encouraging foreign countries to buy American products. While such sales could help to partly balance trade and benefit US exporters, there's little reason to think other countries would buy the same amount of products that the United States, often the wealthier country, demands from the rest of the world. For example, the President has said that a trade deal between the United States and Vietnam would open Vietnamese markets and lead to sales of American vehicles. 'It is my opinion that the SUV or, as it is sometimes referred to, Large Engine Vehicle, which does so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam,' Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. But analysts have pointed out that Vietnamese streets are much tinier than American ones, and the per capita annual income in Vietnam is only $4,000, about a tenth of the cost of a midsize SUV. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2025 The New York Times Company
Mint
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Brazil after spat with President Lula, ‘Will increase further if…'
Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped a 50% tariff on imports from Brazil, starting August 1, over a spat this week with the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who called him an unwanted "emperor." The US President also called the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro a "witch hunt" and said it 'should not take place.' In the letter written to President Lula, Trump said he knew and worked with Bolsonaro and respected him greatly. He also wrote that the US will further hike the tariff rates if Brazil raises their rates but openness for negotiations if Brazil revised its trade policies In the letter to President Lula, Trump wrote, "I knew and dealt with former President Jair Bolsonaro, and respected him greatly, as did most other Leaders of Countries. The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!" "Due in part to Brazil's insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans (as lately illustrated by the Brazilian Supreme Court, which has issued hundreds of SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to U.S. Social Media platforms, threatening them with Millions of Dollars in Fines and Eviction from the Brazilian Social Media market), starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Brazil a Tariff of 50% on any and all Brazilian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs. Goods transshipped to evade this 50% Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff," he added. Trump accused the Brazilian government of unfair trade practices. He stated that the tariffs imposed by the US on goods imported from Brazil is "far less than what is needed to have a level playing field." In the letter, Trump wrote, 'In addition, we have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with Brazil, and have concluded that we must move away from the longstanding, and very unfair trade relationship engendered by Brazil's Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers. Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.' "Please understand that the 50% number is far less than what is needed to have the Level Playing Field we must have with your Country. And it is necessary to have this to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime. As you are aware, there will be no Tariff if Brazil, or companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely other words, in a matter of weeks," he added. In the letter, Trump warned that if Brazil raised tariffs on American imports, he would hike the tariff rate by an equal margin. However, he also signaled openness to lowering the tariffs if Brazil revised its trade policies. Trump directed his administration to monitor the situation closely. In the letter, he wrote, "Additionally, because of Brazil's continued attacks on the Digital Trade activities of American Companies, as well as other unfair Trading Practices, I am directing United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to immediately initiate a Section 301 Investigation of Brazil." "If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, and eliminate your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter. These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country. You will never be disappointed with the United States of America," he added.
