Brazil: Thousands protest Trump’s tariffs and interference in Brazilian courts

Thousands on the streets of Brazil, Sao Paulo’s Paulista Avenue packed, angry and protesting US President Donald Trump and his imposition of 50% tariffs on Brazilian products.

“We are so profoundly indignant against US imperialism, represented by Donald Trump,” says a man on the microphone. “This is shocking interference in Brazilian affairs.”

They light an effigy of Trump on fire. The Brazilians in the streets will not be silent. Trump’s new tariffs on Brazil are in response to the country’s trial against Trump ally former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is accused of leading a “criminal organization” that looked to stop his successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming the presidency after he won the 2022 elections.

Bolsonaro’s supporters took the streets for months after Lula won. They invaded buildings in the Brazilian capital on January 8, 2023… in a copycat performance of the January 6 Capitol invasion in Washington. According to a 900-page Federal Police report, Bolsonaro and the coup plotters allegedly planned to assassinate Lula, his vice president, and the Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes.

The Brazilian courts will decide the legal channel for responding to one of the most serious threats on the country’s democracy in years.

But Trump has other plans. He doesn’t want legal channels. He wants maximum pressure. And he doesn’t mind interfering in the affairs of a foreign country. So, this week, he called the trial against Bolsonaro a “witch hunt” and levied a 50% tariff on the country. 

But Brazil is not about to back down.

“If there’s one thing a government cannot tolerate, it’s interference by one country in the sovereignty of another,” said Brazilian President Lula. “And even more seriously, interference by a president of another country in the Brazilian justice system.”

Lula promised a reciprocal tariff on US goods if Trump’s Brazil tariffs go into effect. And Brazilians are angry and in the streets. International resistance against foreign US intervention on behalf of Trump defending his far right political allies.

Bolsonaro is already banned from holding office in Brazil until 2030 for spreading disinformation and lies against the country’s electoral system.

Hi folks, thanks for listening. I’m your host Michael Fox.

As you may have noticed, today’s episode is a little different. This news is hot off the presses this week. The protests were just yesterday. But I thought it was really important to highlight this moment right now.

I did a series of reporting for my podcast Brazil on Fire on the pro-Bolsonaro protests following Lula’s 2022 electoral victory and the Brazilian capitol invasion on January 8. You can check those out in my podcast Brazil on Fire. I’ll add some links in the show notes. 

Also, if you like what you hear and enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a subscriber on my Patreon. It’s only a few dollars a month. I have a ton of exclusive content there only available to my supporters. Including exclusive pictures, videos and interviews. Every supporter really makes a difference. Please check it out. You can find that on patreon.com/mfox. I’ll also add a link in the show notes.

This is episode 57 of Stories of Resistance, a podcast series co-produced by The Real News and Global Exchange. Independent investigative journalism, supported by Global Exchange’s Human Rights in Action program. Each week, I bring you stories of resistance and hope like this. Inspiration for dark times. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, like, share, comment or leave a review.

Thanks for listening. See you next time.