Start with an earlier thing, Trumpian motives for saying Brazil gets humongous tariffs imposed because Bolsanaro was put on trial for a coup attempt. E.g., this BBC item from August 2025.
Too close to home for Donny, published today.
COUNTERPUNCH, two days ago describes codefendants also found guilty and sentenced. Real sleaze. Trump's kind?
WMHD (What Might Hegseth Do) as a thought experiment, no link.
"The political persecutions by sanctioned human rights abuser Alexandre de Moraes continue, as he and others on Brazil's supreme court have unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro," Rubio wrote on X."The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt," he said.
Brazil's Foreign Ministry called Rubio's comment a threat that "attacks Brazilian authority and ignores the facts and the compelling evidence in the records." The ministry said Brazilian democracy would not be intimidated by the United States.
Bolsonaro, who had close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, became the first former president in Brazilian history to be convicted for attacking democracy after a majority of five justices on Brazil's Supreme Court voted to convict him on Thursday. He was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison.
"Well, I watched that trial. I know him pretty well--foreign leader. I thought he was a good president of Brazil, and it's very surprising that could happen very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn't get away with it at all," Trump told reporters when asked about Bolsonaro being found guilty and if that means additional sanctions.
[...] Trump, who also faced a variety of criminal charges and ultimately became the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime last year, [...] In July, he imposed 50% tariffs on most Brazilian goods to fight what he has called a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro. He later exempted some Brazilian exports, including passenger vehicles and a large number of parts and components used in civil aircraft.
That same month, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro's criminal case, accusing him of authorizing arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression.
A how high Rubio showing, where Trump said "Jump." Ditto Bessent at Treasury.
One place I got my mind wrong, I thought it was Bolsonaro who handed Elon the chainsaw at APEC. It was an Argintine. Bolsonaro may be, (and was judged), a really bad actor, but it was not him being that chainsaw tacky.
Aside from that, a little past, present, and Rubio "promise" about the future, blogged here briefly over a grudge feeling one pissed off former scorn-monger election-loser had in a coincidental embrace of another. One fucking hell of a way to do foreign policy, but that's only the Crabgrass thought, and others may see it differently.
Crabgrass belief: Brazil got it right. Good voters get good results.
It arguably deserves more trenchant analysis, and I am sure in Brazil due attention is given. Crabgrass is not the place to overreach in commentary where little here is known but what's web content.
However, it had to be mentioned. Not commenting about it would have been negligent. It needs attention, and Crabgrass gives it some. The U.S. in a bad posture perhaps should not be dwelt upon, but there's been sooooo much bad posture these days that the nation needs a figurative chiropractor, to adjust its spine.
__________________UPDATE________________
It is one of the web's good outlets. It recently published an op-ed about political murder.
COUNTERPUNCH also opined on tariff impact on farmers and how things could be better. Beyond give a bigger subsidy to offset tariff impact. Again, a worthwhile outlet, left oriented.
FURTHER: The site seems more set on commentary than attempted or feigned "just the facts reporting" with two additional items highlighted. Here. Here.