Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has promised to reciprocate if United States President Donald Trump follows through with his threat to impose 50% tariffs on goods from Brazil. 

Analysts say it may be difficult to de-escalate the situation, which could rock the Brazilian economy — and start a fight with nationalist overtones that could favor Lula politically.

On Wednesday, Trump wrote a letter to Lula threatening a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, effective from August 1. In the missive, he said he was implementing the levies in part because of the Brazilian judiciary’s prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro and its legal action against social media platforms. 

While the U.S. leader has sent a plethora of letters to several countries threatening tariffs recently, he has not typically linked them with a nation’s judicial affairs.

“I knew and dealt with former President Jair Bolsonaro, and respected him greatly, as did most other Leaders of Countries,” Trump’s letter began. 

“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........

© Buenos Aires Herald