US Retaliates Against Brazil, Revokes Ambassador's Visa
The United States has revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to Washington, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, in a mounting diplomatic row. This move comes after Brazil did not approve the new US envoy to the country, Daniel Perez, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in early June. The Brazilian ambassador, however, has not been declared persona non grata and is not being forced to leave the United States.
The US State Department official stated that the move would be reversed if Brazil granted its approval of President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador in Brasilia. Brazil’s presidency responded swiftly, condemning the US move as a deliberate escalation of a diplomatic standoff, motivated by ideological reasons. The latest spat comes just months before Brazil holds a presidential election in October, with leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva facing a challenge from right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro.
The diplomatic row between the two countries has been escalating, with Brazil recently denying visas for two US officials who sought to meet with election authorities last month. The US State Department spokesperson said at the time that the two officials wanted to discuss “election integrity, religious freedom and freedom of expression” with government officials, religious leaders, and others. Brazil’s denial of the visas came after Flavio Bolsonaro renewed unfounded claims that the country’s electronic voting system was insecure.
This development is connected to the prior diplomatic tensions between the US and Brazil, particularly in the context of the upcoming Brazilian presidential election. The US had previously expressed concerns over the election’s integrity, while Brazil has been critical of US interference in its internal affairs.
