US revokes Brazilian ambassador's visa amid diplomatic dispute

The United States has revoked the visa of Brazil's ambassador, a State Department official said on Tuesday, signaling a further deterioration in relations between the two countries just months before elections in the region's largest nation.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision could be reversed if Brazil approves President Donald Trump's pick for ambassador to Brasilia. Trump nominated Daniel Perez, a prominent Florida Republican, in early June. The nomination still awaits US Senate confirmation, and Perez cannot assume the post without Brazil's approval.

The official added that Brazil owes the US "a prompt and positive answer" to its request. The envoy, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, has not been declared persona non grata and is not required to leave the United States, the official clarified.

Brazil responded swiftly, condemning the move as an escalation of a diplomatic standoff. In a statement, the office of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the decision was not isolated but part of a deliberate escalation of hostile measures against Brazil, driven by ideological reasons.

The latest friction comes ahead of October's presidential election, pitting leftist incumbent Lula against right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro. Last month, Brazil denied visas to two US officials who had sought meetings with election authorities. A Brazilian diplomatic source cited the "risk of political exploitation." At the time, a State Department spokesperson said the officials wanted to discuss election integrity, religious freedom and freedom of expression, and dismissed any suggestion of a ploy to undermine a democratic election.

The visa denial followed renewed unfounded claims by Flavio Bolsonaro about the insecurity of Brazil's electronic voting system, while Trump continues to allege widespread fraud in the 2020 US election. In 2023, Flavio's father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was barred from running by electoral authorities and later convicted of plotting a coup after his 2022 loss, serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest.