Kuwait city: US President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order to impose an additional "ad valorem duty rate of 40 percent" on certain Brazilian products, bringing the total duties to 50 percent. The decision comes in response to Brazil's judicial actions, which the US administration claims are detrimental to American interests. According to Kuwait News Agency, the White House statement emphasized that Brazil's measures, purportedly taken to combat "disinformation," "fake news," or "anti-democratic" content, have pressured US companies into censoring political speech and handing over sensitive data. These actions, the statement argues, pose a threat to the US economy by subjecting American companies to severe penalties, including fines, prosecution, and market exclusion. The statement further criticizes Brazil for the legal proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro. It describes the charges against Bolsonaro related to the 2022 election as unjust and suggests that these prosecutions threa ten Brazil's political and economic stability. The US administration expressed concern that these actions might undermine Brazil's ability to conduct a fair presidential election in 2026. Trump's executive order declares a national emergency, citing the Brazilian government's policies as a significant threat to US national security, foreign policy, and economy. The order justifies the imposition of the additional duty as a necessary measure to address this emergency, underscoring the importance of protecting free expression and democratic principles.
