The LuLac Edition #5,406, August 5th, 2025

 

BRAZIL,

BOLSONARO AND BEANS

President Trump announced plans to levy a 50% tariff on all goods from Brazil — the world's largest coffee producer and the source of about 30% of U.S. coffee imports. That's on top of the 10% tariff that impacts nearly everything the U.S. brings in. This looming tariff threat has sent shock waves through the U.S. coffee industry, raising fears especially among small roasters.

When you go to their local coffee shop, whether it's Starbucks or something else, by and large they will likely be buying some form of Brazilian coffee. A 50% tariff will kill that market. Tariff threats extend beyond imports from Brazil: The Trump administration has announced a number of tariffs on imports from other coffee-producing countries, like Vietnam (which produces 17% of the world's coffee), Colombia (which produces 8%) and Ethiopia and Indonesia (which produce 6% each).

Trade Balance: The trade balance surplus was reported at $74.6 billion in 2024, the second largest in the historical series. However, the outlook for 2025 is uncertain due to the new tariffs and other external factors.

Brazil’s top trading partners are:

1.      mainland China: US$94.4 billion (28% of total Brazilian exports)

2.      United States: $40.6 billion (12%)

3.      Argentina: $13.8 billion (4.1%)

4.      Netherlands: $11.8 billion (3.5%)

5.      Spain: $9.9 billion (2.9%)

Guess who is going to get more coffee than the United States? China. Why is Brazil, a country with a surplus being punished by Trump?

Simple. Trump is siding with a former leader who was deposed by voters. The Order declares a new national emergency using the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) and establishes an additional 40% tariff to address the Government of Brazil’s unusual and extraordinary policies and actions harming U.S. companies, the free speech rights of U.S. persons, U.S. foreign policy, and the U.S. economy.

The Order finds that the Government of Brazil’s politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and thousands of his supporters are serious human rights abuses that have undermined the rule of law in Brazil.

A polarizing and controversial politician, Bolsonaro's views and comments, which have been described as far-right and populist, have drawn both praise and criticism in Brazil. He is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, abortion, affirmative action,  drug liberalization, and secularism In foreign policy, he has advocated closer relations with Israel and with the United States; later in his presidency, he also made efforts to improve relations with the BRICS countries.

In the runoff of the 2022 general election, Bolsonaro lost to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On 8 January 2023, his supporters stormed federal government buildings, calling for a coup d'état. On 30 June, the Superior Electoral Court blocked Bolsonaro from seeking office until 2030 for attempting to undermine the validity of the election through his unfounded claims of voter fraud, and for abusing his power by using government communication channels to both promote his campaign and to allege fraud. Testimonies from military officials showed that Bolsonaro had allegedly planned a self-coup with the military to keep himself in power.

As of November 2024, Bolsonaro has been formally accused by the Federal Police of multiple crimes related to the alleged coup. He was charged in February 2025, and the Supreme Court ruled he must stand trial.

So this is all about Trump, who denied his own election loss, siding with a guy 3, 375 miles away from Washington who is going on trial. Keep this in mind when you go get a coffee from your favorite barista and you’re paying an obscene price.

It’s all about this guy. Nothing more, nothing less.(AP, LuLac)

  

ABBOT SCREWS FLOOD VICTIMS TO BOW BEFORE TRUMP

They tell me Greg Abbot is a Christian. Well In 2005, Abbott delivered oral argument before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Texas, defending a Ten Commandments monument on grounds of the Texas State Capitol. Thousands of similar monuments were donated to cities and towns across the nation by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, who were inspired by the Cecil B. DeMille film The Ten Commandments (1956) in following years. In his deposition, Abbott said, "The Ten Commandments are a historically recognized system of law."  The Supreme Court held in a 5–4 decision that the Texas display did not violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and was constitutional.

Abbot also continued the sexual obsession most Republicans have with the sex lives of other people. Now I don’t know about you, but I really don’t wonder about the sex lives of other people, let alone what the might use for inspiration. But Abbot does!

As attorney general, Abbott unsuccessfully defended Texas's ban on sex toys. He said Texas had a legitimate interest in "discouraging prurient interests in autonomous sex and the pursuit of sexual gratification unrelated to procreation." I don’t know how many dildo salesmen he put out of business but you might want to ask an uptight Texan if you come across one.

You might think that after the terrible flooding in the Hill Country, Abbot would be worrying about the concerns of the victims with his special session of the Legislature. Over the years  legislators have declined to pass at least three bills that would create siren or alert systems, tools experts say can be especially helpful in rural communities that lack reliable internet and cell service. A 2019 state-commissioned report estimated flood prevention needs at over $30 billion. Since then, lawmakers have allocated just $1.4 billion. And they ignored the key recommendations from the state’s 2024 flood plan that are meant to help rural areas like Kerr County, which is dubbed “Flash Flood Alley” due to its geography. To date, the legislature under this Governor has DONE NOTHING.

But never fear, Abbot is still on the job. But with bigger fish to fry. Abbott's decision to include a rare mid-decade redistricting push on the special session agenda drew immediate outcry from Democratic lawmakers and pro-democracy advocates, who accused the Republican leader of trying to boost his party's electoral prospects at a time when his focus should be on flood response, recovery, and future prevention.

Why?

Because President Trump is urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to redraw the state's electoral districts, claiming that the current map is unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. However, critics argue that this is a ploy to increase the GOP's hold on Texas by manipulating the districts to favor Republican voters and making it harder for marginalized communities to vote. This move would further dilute the voting power of Black and brown communities and could leave Texas open to facing charges of "unconstitutional racial gerrymandering" for the duration of the decade. Texas Democrats left the state to stop the Legislature from doing this, Abbot said he’d fire them!

So while there is long ignored legislation on flood infrastructure in the pile, the Legislative power grab is his number 1 priority. Texans I guess, think it’s okay to have a Governor with a truly black heart. Why? Because Trump asked him to. Now Trump has been so to speak, very libertine in his lifetime involving sex. I guess if Trump asked Abbot to rescind that sex toys ban, you bet he’s do it in a New York minute.(CNN, WIKIPEDIA, LULAC)