Trump accuses BRICS countries of trying to destroy the Dollar
Trump has threatened a 10 percent tariff on BRICS nations simply for being members, saying that if the US dollar were to lose its status as the world's reserve currency, it would be like losing a major world war.
The BRICS group now comprises 11 permanent members, and it has more than doubled since South Africa joined in 2010. It says its mission is to boost the influence of the Global South.
Donald Trump, however, says the group is "anti the United States".
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eNCA
23 minutes ago
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Brazil judge puts ex-president Bolsonaro under house arrest
BRAZIL - A Brazilian judge on Monday placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for breaking a social media ban, escalating a dramatic standoff between the court and the politician, who is accused of plotting a coup. Bolsonaro is on trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to cling onto power after losing 2022 elections to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. President Donald Trump has sought to punish Brazil, a longtime US ally, for what he sees as a politically motivated "witch hunt" targeting Bolsonaro by imposing eye-watering tariffs on Latin America's biggest economy. The 70-year-old Bolsonaro is banned from social media for the duration of the proceedings, and third parties are barred from sharing his public remarks. But on Sunday, his allies defied the order by sharing footage online of a call between the former army captain and his eldest son Flavio at a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes reacted furiously, declaring that the judiciary would not allow a defendant to "treat it like a fool" because of his "political and economic power." Criticizing Bolsonaro's "repeated failure" to comply with the court's restrictions on him during the trial, he placed him under house arrest at his home in the capital Brasilia. He also barred the country's former leader (2019-2022) from receiving visitors, apart from his lawyers, and from using mobile phones, and warned that any new transgression would lead to him being detained. Several mobile phones were seized at his home on Monday, the police said. The new restrictions were expected to be met with fury in Washington. Writing on X, Bolsonaro's politician son Eduardo Bolsonaro, who successfully lobbied Washington to take punitive action against Brazil over the case, declared: "Brazil is no longer a democracy." He called Moraes, who is presiding over Bolsonaro's trial and has styled himself a defender of Brazilian democracy in the face of the far right, an "out-of-control psychopath." Last month, Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle bracelet and instituted the social media ban. Trump responded in unprecedented fashion by banning Moraes from the United States and freezing his assets in US banks. - 'Thank you Trump' - AFP | Sergio Lima Trump's pressure campaign has angered many Brazilians but endeared him to Bolsonaro's conservative base. At rallies in Rio, Brasilia and Sao Paulo on Sunday, some demonstrators waved US flags or held signs reading "Thank you Trump." Bolsonaro himself did not attend the rallies, having been ordered by the Supreme Court to stay home at night and at weekends throughout the trial. Prosecutors say he and seven co-accused tried to overturn his 2022 election defeat in a plot that only failed because the military did not get on board. He faces a 40-year sentence if convicted at the trial, which is expected to wrap up in the coming weeks. Bolsonaro's supporters stormed Brazil's congress in January 2023, after Lula was inaugurated, ransacking the chambers and attacking police, in scenes reminiscent of an attack by Trump supporters on the US Capitol two years before. Despite his trial, Bolsonaro is hoping to make a Trump-style comeback in 2026 presidential elections, despite being barred from running. Lula, 79, has said he could seek a fourth term, health permitting.
Daily Maverick
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GNU must take blame for not acting to avert imposition of Trump's exorbitant tariffs
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Yet, what once felt like abstract diplomatic tensions have now resulted in exorbitant tariff hikes that could wipe out margins for exporters and put thousands of jobs at risk across key sectors — from citrus and wine to auto manufacturing and metals. While some may point fingers at an increasingly protectionist White House, the Government of National Unity (GNU) must accept responsibility for what is in most parts a self-inflicted wound. Those in the GNU say that jobs and the economy are their number one priority. But when it came to protecting one of our largest export markets and tens of thousands of South African jobs, they sat on their hands and watched the tariffs roll in. This diplomatic misstep will be measured in job losses, declining export revenue, and dwindling investor confidence. Instead of strategic engagement, disarray ensued. Civil society organisations like AfriForum and Solidarity secured high-level meetings in Washington, while our official diplomatic presence remained directionless. Undermining national trade posture Even the Democratic Alliance was accused of undermining our national trade posture through uncoordinated political freelancing, a move that seemingly cost MP Emma Powell her role as the DA's International Relations spokesperson. At the core of Washington's growing frustration is South Africa's erratic and often contradictory foreign policy. Despite claiming to be non-aligned, our government has taken deliberate steps that signal the opposite. The ANC's hosting of senior Hamas representatives in Pretoria, Minister Naledi Pandor's infamous meeting with then Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, and South Africa's ambiguous stance on Russia's war in Ukraine have all sent provocative messages that clash with global democratic norms. These actions carry real-world consequences, as this latest tariff decision makes painfully clear. Even under the more diplomatic Biden administration, South Africa failed to rebuild trust. We did not use the opportunity to engage, negotiate or reassure. And now, under a more transactional Trump presidency, patience has run out. What is clear is that South Africa urgently needs a foreign policy rooted in clear principles and strategic interests, instead of nostalgia and ideology. Our diplomacy must be led by the state, above party politics, and laser focused on three core objectives: expanding trade and economic growth, defending human rights, and advancing democracy on the continent and beyond. The current bipolar approach, with mixed signals from different actors, is unsustainable and deeply damaging. A government-led, coherent strategy to stabilise and grow our trade relationship with the US is now mission-critical. This strategy must include five immediate actions: South Africa must reassert official leadership in managing our engagement with Washington. Splinter groups and political parties must refrain from back-channelling for narrow political gain. Trade policy is national policy. South Africa must speak with one clear, credible, and united voice. Our government must directly engage with the US Congress, which holds immense sway over trade legislation. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill need to hear not just about Agoa's benefits for South Africa, but for the US too. More than 500,000 American jobs are tied to trade with us. We should use that as leverage. South Africa must table a credible trade and investment plan that showcases the mutual benefits of partnership. Priority sectors like automotive exports (valued at more than $1.2-billion annually), citrus, wine, metals and green technology must be at the forefront. We must position ourselves as a reliable partner for US capital, technology, and innovation as America eyes new partners in the global energy transition. A full economic risk assessment must be urgently commissioned to measure the impact of the proposed tariffs on jobs and industry. Such a study would not only quantify the damage, but guide our negotiating position and enable smarter policy responses, including sector-specific relief or adjustment mechanisms. Perhaps most urgently, we must appoint a capable and credible ambassador to Washington. This needs to be someone who understands both diplomacy and economics. The job now requires high-stakes negotiations to restore market confidence and protect jobs. That seat has remained vacant or ineffective for far too long. The truth is that South Africa's foreign policy has long lacked a future-focused economic dimension. It is too often discussed not in terms of trade, growth or a digital future, but in the context of how liberation movements can remain in power. This mindset has locked us into outdated alliances, including with authoritarian regimes that are neither democratic nor innovative. Meanwhile, we've neglected crucial relationships with long-standing partners like the US, and failed to appoint ambassadors, attend key forums or secure investment guarantees. What is clear is that we cannot afford to respond with more muddled messages, delayed decisions and ideological posturing. If we do not act with clarity, urgency and humility, we risk permanently losing one of our most important trade relationships. Now more than ever, our foreign policy must serve South Africa's economic interests. Jobs, industries and future growth hang in the balance. DM
Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
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