US revokes Brazil ambassador’s visa in escalation of diplomatic feud

Summary

Move is retaliation for Lula’s government refusal to approve Trump’s nominee for ambassador in Brasília Donald Trump’s administration has revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the US in a sharp escalation of a diplomatic feud with the country’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The US state department said Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti ’s visa had been cancelled in retaliation for Brazil’s refusal to approve Trump’s nominee for ambassador in Brasília and its decision last month to deny visas to two US diplomats seeking to visit ahead of an October election. The Trump administration stopped short of expelling Viotti, a former senior United Nations official. But Washington warned that further diplomatic action remains possible if Brasília continues to withhold its approval for would-be ambassador Daniel Perez , a Florida Republican and close ally of the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio. “We communicated continually with the Brazilian government for weeks and have given the Brazilian government every opportunity to do the right thing, yet they have continually delayed and obfuscated,” a state department spokesperson said. The ambassador’s visa could be restored if Brazil accepts Perez’s appointment. “This is a reciprocal action,” the spokesperson said. “Should the ambassador leave the country, she would need to reapply for a visa.” The dispute has become entangled with Brazil’s increasingly bitter election campaign, in which Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth, non-consecutive term against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro , son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, and a close political ally of Trump. Brasília swiftly condemned the US action as part of a deliberate campaign to influence the election. Lula’s office said: “Today’s decision is not an isolated incident. It is part of a deliberate escalation of hostile measures against Brazil, motivated by ideological reasons.” Brazil also accused the US of breaching diplomatic norms by announcing Perez’s nomination before seeking Brasília’s consent. The Brazilian government said its consideration of the appointment was still under way, and that it had been made clear no decision would be taken before the first round of the election , on 4 October. The Trump administration argues that Brazil has no right to interfere with the president’s choice of US ambassador to the country. “President Trump has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world,” the state department said. “We reject any effort by foreign countries to interfere in our domestic processes.” The latest confrontation follows Brazil’s refusal last month to issue visas to Riley Barnes, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour, and one of his senior aides.