Following the conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on coup charges, Brazil is anticipating potential U.S. sanctions. The U.S. has expressed unhappiness with the conviction and threatened a response, prompting Brazil’s Foreign Ministry to condemn the remarks as threats against its democracy and independent judiciary. Brazil’s government is preparing a plan to support affected businesses and find alternative markets to mitigate potential losses from U.S. tariffs. Experts suggest additional sanctions on justices involved in the case and possibly new tariffs could be imposed by the United States.
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In a recent development, the U.S. State Department has sanctioned International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada for her role in authorizing an investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Other ICC jurists, Nicolas Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, were also sanctioned, with the U.S. linking the decision to the court’s investigation into Israel’s actions. The ICC has condemned the sanctions, deeming them an attack on the independence of the judicial body, while the U.S. defends its decision as a necessary response to the ICC’s “illegitimate judicial overreach.” These sanctions are the latest in a series of actions against the ICC, which has investigations underway into major cases, including allegations of war crimes against Russia and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker warned that China could face repercussions for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if a peace settlement is not reached. The U.S. is considering “severe” secondary tariffs on countries, including China, that continue to purchase Russian oil, which is a key revenue source for Russia’s war effort. This strategy aims to pressure Russia by limiting its oil and gas income, with potential for increased tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. if it continues to buy Russian oil. This comes as China remains one of Russia’s closest economic partners and a major buyer of Russian crude oil.
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John Q. Hosedrinker