A senior US State Department official announced on 4/8 that Brazil's ambassador to Washington, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, would have her visa revoked. This action came in response to the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva delaying the acceptance of new US Ambassador Daniel Perez for weeks, preventing the former Florida congressman from officially taking his post.
"We believe the Brazilian government needs to provide a positive response to our request soon", the official stated.
A US State Department representative clarified that revoking or canceling a senior foreign diplomat's visa does not equate to expulsion from US territory. During this period, the Brazilian diplomat can remain in the US but without a visa.
"The documents will be reinstated if balance is restored, specifically if they accept our ambassador candidate", the US State Department official said.
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Brazilian diplomat Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti during her tenure in Berlin, Germany, in 2013. *Photo: AFP* |
Washington stated this was a reciprocal move, as US diplomats were being hindered in their normal bilateral work, facing prolonged delays without any promise of an early resolution.
The Brazilian government criticized the US decision as a "hostile escalation", asserting that the process for accepting the new US ambassador was proceeding according to protocol and international diplomatic norms. Brazil argued that the US government should have held bilateral consultations before President Trump announced Perez's nomination on 1/6.
Tensions between the two countries escalated further when Brazil also denied visas to two officials from the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in July.
Brazilian officials believed the visit risked "being exploited for political purposes" and interfering internally before the presidential election in October. The US State Department at the time rejected accusations of election interference, describing the visit as intended to discuss "electoral integrity, religious freedom, and freedom of expression" with relevant parties.
Recent polls indicate Lula da Silva is receiving more support than Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest after being convicted of a coup plot following his defeat in the 2022 election.
The US and Brazil have recently accused each other of interfering in internal affairs. While the Trump administration criticized the Brazilian government for censoring conservatives and for unfair judicial procedures, the Lula da Silva administration believes Washington is attempting to dominate Latin American politics in favor of conservative forces.
Thanh Danh (According to AFP, Reuters)
