The Trump administration has revoked the visa of Brazil's ambassador to the United States in what officials described as a reciprocal response to Brazil’s actions.
According to the State Department, the decision was a retaliation for Brazil's denial of visas last month to two American diplomats who had sought to visit ahead of upcoming elections. The administration also cited Brazil's alleged stalling on approving President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador in Brasilia.
Officials stated the action had been delayed multiple times to allow Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva an opportunity to reconsider. The decision, however, could be reversed if Brazil takes appropriate action and accepts Trump’s ambassadorial choice. The U.S. government claims Brazil has engaged in unfair competition practices and has not stopped forced labor, accusations rejected by the Lula administration as attempts to influence the election.
Brazil's government, in a statement, accused the United States of not adhering to international law in its nomination process for the ambassador to Brazil. It characterized the U.S. decision to revoke the Brazilian ambassador's visa as politically motivated, aiming to influence Brazil's October election.
The U.S. denied allegations that the two American diplomats, identified as Riley Barnes, the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, and one of his aides, were planning to criticize Lula or the election process. The State Department maintained that the visit was routine and intended to discuss "election integrity," religious freedom, and freedom of expression.
Brazil, however, stood by its assessment, stating the Americans "were planning to visit the country to cast doubts about the integrity of the Brazilian electoral system, in an unacceptable attempt to interfere in the national political process."
Despite the visa revocation, Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti is not being expelled from the United States, a State Department official confirmed. The post of U.S. ambassador to Brazil has been vacant since January 2025. The nomination of former Florida House speaker Danny Perez for the ambassadorship was submitted to the Senate in June. Brazil had reportedly signaled it would not act on the appointment until after the first round of Brazil's election on October 4. Brazil's government stated that the U.S. should have sought consent in private before making the nomination public, as stipulated by the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, and that the request is still under analysis.
The dispute occurs amid a strained relationship between the Trump administration and Lula's government, which has opposed several U.S. policies. The U.S. government also recently classified Brazil’s largest drug-trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations and imposed tariff hikes on thousands of Brazilian exports, actions that Brazil’s government described as a deliberate escalation of hostile measures driven by ideological motives and an attempt to interfere in the election.
President Lula is seeking his fourth term and faces Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, whose father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is currently under house arrest and has frequently voiced concerns about Brazil's electronic voting system without providing evidence.