Trump punishes Brazil with tariffs, sanctions

President Donald Trump ordered massive tariffs on Brazil Wednesday and sanctions against the judge overseeing a trial of his far-right ally Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting a coup in Latin America's biggest economy.

The announcement of 50 percent tariffs saw Trump make good on his threat to wield US economic might to punish Brazil -- and its Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, in particular -- for what he has termed a "witch hunt" against former president Bolsonaro.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hit back at the move, saying he would defend "the sovereignty of the Brazilian people in the face of measures announced by the president of the United States."

Unlike other tariffs Trump is slapping on economies around the world, the measures against Brazil have been framed in openly political terms, sweeping aside centuries-old trade ties and a surplus that Brasilia put at $284 million last year.

The moves dramatically increased the pressure on Moraes, who has emerged as a powerful and polarizing thorn in the far-right's side, after clashing repeatedly with Bolsonaro and others over disinformation.

Trump's executive order added a 40 percent tariff on Brazilian products, bringing total trade duties to 50 percent, the White House announced.

The order said the new duties would not come into effect for seven days, and listed exemptions on some of Brazil's major exports -- including planes, orange juice and pulp, Brazil nuts, and some iron, steel and aluminum products.

The Brazilian government's "politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of (Bolsonaro) and thousands of his supporters are serious human rights abuses that have undermined the rule of law in Brazil," the White House said in a fact sheet announcing the tariffs.