Bolsonaro family pushes US trade sanctions against Brazilian agribusiness

Members of the Bolsonaro family are urging the United States to impose commercial sanctions on Brazil, arguing that Brazilian producers are using illegally deforested land to gain an advantage over American farmers. The USTR report cites deforestation as a justification for potential tariffs, while the Trump administration’s support for domestic producers adds political weight to the proposal.

The push is framed as a strategy to bolster Flávio Bolsonaro’s pre‑election prospects, with the family advocating a hard‑line alignment with the United States, an exit from Mercosul, and the abandonment of Brazil’s trade agreement with the European Union. Analysts warn that such a stance would jeopardise Brazil’s large trade surplus with China and could destabilise the domestic agribusiness market.

Critics describe the agenda as ideologically driven and harmful to Brazil’s commercial interests, noting the country’s 2025 trade deficit of US$ 7.5 billion with the United States versus a US$ 29.1 billion surplus with China.