China's growing influence appears to have some drawbacks in Latin America. Beijing has targeted countries such as Guatemala and outraged retailers in Brazil.
Here’s what happened: Retailers that do nothing but import white-label Chinese products and slap a label on it got angry that people started cutting off the middle man.
In Brazil, international purchases lower than 50 USD weren’t taxed on the federal level, but now they paid congress off to add a 20% tax (they wanted a higher number but had to compromise) and are lobbying for states to increase their own taxes.
So really, when you read “Latin American anger”, it’s more “rich Latin American parasites’s anger”
Here’s what happened: Retailers that do nothing but import white-label Chinese products and slap a label on it got angry that people started cutting off the middle man.
In Brazil, international purchases lower than 50 USD weren’t taxed on the federal level, but now they paid congress off to add a 20% tax (they wanted a higher number but had to compromise) and are lobbying for states to increase their own taxes.
So really, when you read “Latin American anger”, it’s more “rich Latin American parasites’s anger”
If the tax also applies to retailers buying in bulk then maybe it’ll have some benefit to local business