Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest on the 14th (local time). Yonhap News.

Speculation has arisen that U.S. President Donald Trump (79) may impose "additional tariffs" on Brazil in connection with the trial of a former Brazilian president with whom he is close.

Eduardo Bolsonaro (41), a member of the Brazilian House of Representatives and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro (70), stated in an interview with Reuters on the 14th (local time) after meeting with a high-ranking U.S. official in Washington D.C., "There will be no negotiations (between the two countries) to lower U.S. tariffs unless the Brazilian Supreme Court backs down." He added, "Because there are no changes in the Brazilian authorities, we can expect additional U.S. tariffs."

Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro described the 50% tariffs imposed on Brazilian products such as beef, coffee, and shoes exported to the U.S. as "bitter medicine to curb the uncontrollable legal attack on my father." He also said, "There is no scenario where the Brazilian Supreme Court wins in the chaos of confronting the world's largest economic power (the U.S.)."

Former President Bolsonaro, who served from 2019 to 2022, was indicted on charges including plotting a coup with his cabinet members after losing the 2022 presidential election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (79), and inciting his supporters to cause the January 8, 2023 election riot. He is also accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate President Lula.

Last month on the 9th, President Trump, in a so-called "tariff letter" to President Lula, claimed that the trial of former President Bolsonaro, including the coup plot allegations, was a "witch hunt" and cited it as the reason for imposing a 50% tariff.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury also separately announced sanctions against Alexandre de Moraes (56), a justice of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court handling the case of former President Bolsonaro.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, a member of the Brazilian House of Representatives, is interviewed in the U.S. on the 14th (local time). Yonhap News. 

President Lula criticized Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is known to have lobbied U.S. Trump administration officials while in the U.S. for sanctions against Justice de Moraes, calling him a "Brazilian politician who betrayed the people and acted for his own interests."

Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro told Reuters on the same day, "It won't work if we approach the tariff issue solely from a trade perspective." He added, "We must first send a signal to the U.S. that we are resolving our institutional crisis."

He then predicted that additional U.S. sanctions could be imposed on Lula's close associates, including former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (77), who serves as the president of the BRICS New Development Bank.

Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro also added, according to Reuters, that he has received "permission to stay in the U.S. for a long time with my family" instead of returning to Brazil.

Former President Jair Bolsonaro, under house arrest in Brasilia, made his final plea to the court through his lawyer the previous day, asserting his "innocence" regarding the charges, including the coup plot, local media reported.

The Brazilian Supreme Court, which is hearing the case of former President Bolsonaro under "special judicial jurisdiction" (Foro privilegiado), is expected to deliver a verdict of guilty or not guilty within this year.

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