Trump v Lula: what to know about the tariffs spat between the US and Brazil

Brazilian president threatened a 50% tariff on US goods in retaliation for Trump's levy on the Latin American country

In a move seen by many - including Brazil's president - as an attack on the country's sovereignty, the US president, Donald Trump, announced on Wednesday that he intends to impose an additional 50% tariff on Latin America's largest country from 1 August.

Not only was this the highest rate among this week's announcements - and aimed at a country with which the US has maintained a trade surplus for 17 years - but the letter sent to the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also stood out for its intemperate tone, in contrast to the standard format adopted in letters to other countries.