RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday that he will impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States if President Donald Trump follows through on a pledge to boost import taxes by 50% over the South American country’s criminal trial against his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

U.S. President Trump's decision to impose 50% tariffs on Brazil ties into the trial of his ally, Bolsonaro. Brazil's President Lula can't intervene in Bolsonaro's case due to lack of authority. The U.

The levy is the highest announced so far in Trump’s letters to world leaders this week, and comes after he wrote a lengthy message supporting the former Brazilian leader.