I don't think you're up to date on this. The Brazilian government began doing this in January 2004, but then discontinued the practice within a matter of weeks or months. I read several reports that it was initially ordered by a judge in Mato Grosso do Sul but that the government then successfully appealed against the judge's order.

I've visited Brazil with a U.S. passport at least once per year since 2003, most recently in December 2015, and have never been fingerprinted.

I think that's the point - reading state communications and using government spy apparatus for private enterprises also hurts trade and that is presumably part of the escalation.