Brazil has formally initiated proceedings at the World Trade Organization in response to steep trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, government officials in Brasília confirmed Wednesday.
The 50-percent duties, which took effect the same day, target a range of Brazilian exports and follow mounting tensions linked to former President Jair Bolsonaro, a close Trump ally currently facing trial over an alleged coup plot.
According to officials in President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, Brazil has requested consultations with the United States at the WTO—a procedural first step in launching a trade dispute under the organization’s rules.
Brasília views the tariffs as politically motivated and inconsistent with global trade norms, and is seeking a resolution through the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism.
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Trump’s latest tariff salvo raised duties on Brazil from 10 percent to 50 percent for key exports including coffee, beef and sugar.
Broad exemptions on products such as orange juice and civil aircraft somewhat softened the blow.
Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin has indicated that the new US tariffs affect approximately 36 percent of the country’s exports to its largest trading partner in the Western Hemisphere.
The move follows an executive order issued by the Trump administration last week, which condemned the criminal prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro—accusing Brazil’s leadership of politically motivated actions. Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly orchestrating a plot to overturn the 2022 presidential election results, which saw him lose to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The US order also took aim at Brazil’s recent digital regulatory reforms and accused Lula’s administration of pursuing policies seen as detrimental to American economic and strategic interests.