On July 30, US President Donald Trump declared bilateral relations with Brazil a national emergency in order to justify raising import tariffs. In a menacing statement entitled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Brazil,” he declared:

Recent policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Brazil threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. Members of the Government of Brazil have taken actions that interfere with the economy of the United States, infringe the free expression rights of United States persons, violate human rights, and undermine the interest the United States has in protecting its citizens and companies. Members of the Government of Brazil are also politically persecuting a former President of Brazil, which is contributing to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Brazil, to politically motivated intimidation in that country, and to human rights abuses.

Ironically for a President who has been punishing universities for allowing students to engage in Palestine solidarity protests, who has banned government officials from using over 250 words, including, “women”, “privilege” and “breastfeeding,” he misrepresented Brazil’s constitutional concept of freedom of expression and essentially accused it of violating the US Constitution’s 1st Amendment. Brazil, however, does not adhere to a Cato Institute-style definition of free speech absolutism which has become so popular with the Silicon Valley crowd. Like other nations around the world including Germany, Brazil bans public support for things like Naziism, pedophilia and white supremacy.

Citing alleged violations of “free speech” – a key element in a false narrative used by the Bolsonaro family to build support for the........

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