Brazil's President confirms visa rejection for two US officials over alleged election meddling
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed that his government denied visas to two US officials, Riley M. Barnes and Samuel Samson, for allegedly planning to interfere in Brazil's October general election.
Lula stated that the officials intended to 'meddle in Brazil's elections' by casting doubt on the credibility of Brazil's voting system.
The US State Department denied the accusation, calling the suggested intent 'baseless' and stating the visit was part of regular diplomatic work under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor's mandate.
Brazil's upcoming presidential election in October will likely see Lula face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump.
The visa dispute adds to strained Brazil-US relations, following recent US tariffs on thousands of Brazilian exports, which Brazil has criticized.
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