FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators wearing costumes and masks depicting former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. President Donald Trump take part in a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of 50% tariffs on Brazilian products, in Sao Paulo, Brazil July 10, 2025. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini/File Photo
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump pitched his 50% tariffs against Brazil as a way to support former President Jair Bolsonaro, but three people close to the right-wing ex-president said they were stunned by the move and fear it may do more harm than good.
Announcing the higher tariffs in a letter last week, Trump cast them as a pressure tactic to help Bolsonaro, who is on trial before the Brazilian Supreme Court for allegedly plotting a coup to overturn his loss in the 2022 presidential election.
