Brazilian companies reacted with a mix of relief and doubt after the White House surprised them on Wednesday with a list of nearly 700 exceptions to the 50% tariff U.S. President Donald Trump imposed on the country's exports from August 6.

Now, as the 90-day pause on those and other targeted US tariffs is set to expire, Trump has raised Brazil's rate to a whopping 50% – potentially launching a trade war with Latin America's biggest economy, which sells large amounts of beef, coffee, steel and other products to the United States.

With Donald Trump's punitive tariffs against Brazil poised to take effect within days, Latin America's largest economy is bracing for a virtual embargo on its planes, grains, and crude oil. Lula promised to apply "reciprocity" if Trump's tariff threat materializes,