U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threat against Brazil has sparked political turmoil. Trump linked a 50% import tax to the trial of his ally, Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, calling it a “witch hunt.

Trump announced a sweeping 50 percent tariff on all Brazilian exports to the United States beginning Aug. 1. In a letter to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the left-wing leader who defeated Jair Bolsonaro three years ago,

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday slammed Donald Trump's threat to impose 50 percent tariffs on Latin America's largest economy as "unacceptable blackmail."In his speech, leftist leader Lula slammed Brazilian politicians who back Trump's policies as "traitors to the homeland.