Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 50 per cent tariff on Brazil, the White House stated, as his administration escalates its aggressive manoeuvres in the ongoing trade war between the two nations.
According to a fact sheet of the order released by the White House on Wednesday (local time), the decision was made based on the recent policies, actions, and practices by the Brazilian government that, according to the US, showed an exceptional and significant threat to its national security, foreign relations, and economic interests.
"President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order implementing an additional 40% tariff on Brazil, bringing the total tariff amount to 50%, to deal with recent policies, practices, and actions by the Government of Brazil that constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," the statement read.
The order stated that the Brazilian government's policies and actions had negatively impacted US businesses and undermined the free speech rights of US citizens, threatening US foreign policy and economic interests.
"The Order declares a new national emergency using the President's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) and establishes an additional 40% tariff to address the Government of Brazil's unusual and extraordinary policies and actions harming U.S. companies, the free speech rights of U.S. persons, U.S. foreign policy, and the U.S. Economy," it noted.
The White House order also noted the Brazilian government's legal actions against its former President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters were human rights violations that have weakened the rule of law in the South American country.
"The Order finds that the Government of Brazil's politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and thousands of his supporters are serious human rights abuses that have undermined the rule of law in Brazil," the order read.
Earlier in the month, Trump threatened a 50 per cent tariff on imports from Brazil, starting August 1 and called for the end of the trial for the far-right leader Bolsonaro, who had bragged about his closeness to Trump, calling the trial a "witch hunt."
Meanwhile, the announcement of the increased tariff rate came on the same day the US imposed sanctions on Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The US had also earlier announced visa restrictions against Moraes and other court officials involved in Bolsonaro's trial.
"The United States is sanctioning Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for serious human rights abuse, including arbitrary detention involving flagrant denials of fair trial guarantees and violations of the freedom of expression," a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio read.
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