Archive July 30, 2025

Bolsonaro is accused of conspiring to maintain control despite losing to current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential election of 2022. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, linked the new tariffs on Brazil to what he called a “witch hunt” against his right-wing allies.

Following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assertion in June that Washington was considering sanctioning the judge, the judge is scheduled to be notified on Wednesday of the sanctions being applied to Moraes, who is in charge of Bolsonaro’s case.

The Global Magnitsky Act, which the US has authorized to impose economic sanctions on foreigners who it believes have a history of corruption or human rights abuses, sanctioned Moraes.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a statement that “Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to serve as judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against US and Brazilian citizens and businesses. De Moraes is to blame for politicized prosecutions, including against former president Jair Bolsonaro, as well as an oppressive campaign of censorship and arbitrary detentions that violate human rights.

Moraes may have any assets or property he may own in the US, but the decision mandates the freezing of those assets.

A request for comment was not immediately responded to by Brazil’s Supreme Court and Presidential Palace.

According to allegations that he courted Trump’s interference, Moraes recently ordered Bolsonaro to stop using social media and wear an ankle bracelet.

Washington earlier this month increased tensions with the country’s largest economy by enforcing restrictions on Moraes, his family, and other unnamed court officials’ US visas.

Brazilian President Lula criticized the decision as “arbitrary” and “baseless,” and called for “unacceptable” foreign interference in the judiciary. The left-wing leader claimed in a statement that the US action violated fundamental values like respect and international law.

The Supreme Court issued search warrants and restraint orders in response to Bolsonaro’s claim that he planned a coup to overturn a 2022 election he lost, according to the case.

Trump criticized Bolsonaro’s prosecution in a letter sent in the middle of July when he announced a 50-percent tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1.

BREAKINGBREAKING,

As tariff-driven uncertainty weighs on the US economy, the US Federal Reserve will continue to hold interest rates steady at 4.25-4.50 percent, on par with economists’ expectations.

As the Fed wrapped up its two-day policy meeting, the US central bank made its announcement on Wednesday.

The Committee wants to achieve the highest possible rate of inflation and employment over the long-term. The Fed stated in a statement that “the outlook for the economy is still uncertain”.

Since December, rates have been maintaining this pattern. Jerome Powell, the head of the Federal Reserve, has long argued that the central bank is best positioned to deal with inflationary pressures brought on by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs by maintaining rates consistent.

“Recent indicators indicate that economic activity increased more slowly in the first half of the year. The labor market conditions are stable, and the unemployment rate is still low. The Fed continued, “Inflation is still moderately elevated.”

According to the consumer price index report released earlier this month, inflation increased by 2.7%.

Two of the central bank’s governors, both Trump appointees who concur with him that monetary policy is too tight, disagree with the decision.

The first time in more than 30 years that two members of the Fed’s seven-person board of governors in Washington have voted against a rate decision at the consensus-driven central bank will be discussed at this week’s meeting.

In the Fed’s policy statement, both Governor Christopher Waller and Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, who have been mentioned as potential replacements for Powell when his term expires in May 2026, “preferred to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by one quarter of a percentage point at this meeting.”

Pressures placed on Powell

After visiting the Fed headquarters, the US president claimed last week that he thought the central bank was prepared to lower interest rates.

The White House stated in a statement on Wednesday that “there are no more excuses — it is too late for Powell to cut the rates.” This was a day before the rate decision was announced and following mixed GDP data.

The White House has made the latest moves to appoint the central bank to lower rates, including threats to replace Powell and ongoing personal attacks on the Fed chair. Trump called Powell a “numbskull” last week.

However, Powell has long argued that political pressures should not affect the central bank’s monetary policy decisions.

We don’t take the fiscal needs of the federal government into account when asked whether future policy decisions will take into account them. No central bank of an advanced nation does that.

The top UN official in Myanmar has harshly criticized the US for lifting sanctions against allies of the country’s ruling military regime, calling it a “major step backward”

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, described the decision as “shocking.” On July 24th, the US quietly lifted sanctions against five individuals and businesses allegedly connected to the regime’s arms trade.

According to Andrews, “This is a significant step backward in international efforts to save lives by restricting the murderous junta’s access to weapons.” By reversing sanctions against Myanmar’s arms dealers and junta cronies, it is “unconscionable to undermine these efforts.”

In a 2021 coup that overthrew the Aung San Suu Kyi government, senior general Min Aung Hlaing led the military to take control of the country, which has sparked criticism for the decision.

According to Andrews, the businesses that were put on the sanctions list were connected to the regime’s military operations.

According to Andrews, “the sanctions against the junta are proving to be effective,” adding that data from the years 2023 to 2024, which he attributed in part to US-led sanctions, makes this action even more appalling.

The move comes despite US President Trump’s statement in February that extended the executive order enshrined Myanmar-related sanctions, saying the 2021 coup “continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security.

The US representative also claimed that the military regime bombed civilians and enlisted Rohingya to fight on its behalf in a statement to the UN in June.

Two weeks after Myanmar’s military chief praised US President Donald Trump in a glowing letter, the government made the decision to ease sanctions. The president’s administration defunded US-backed media outlets that criticize the regime, according to the general in the letter.

The administration’s top official claimed that the sanctions decision had no bearing given the letter.

However, critics claim that the timing is troubling. The action, according to John Sifton, director of human rights watch’s Asia advocacy division, “suggests a major shift is underway in US policy, which had focused on punitive action against Myanmar’s military regime.”

Andrews urged the Trump administration to change course. The US should be expanding the sanctions to Myanmar Economic Bank, the important financial institution that the country relies on to pay for imported military equipment, rather than removing them.