Trump administration revokes Brazilian ambassador’s visa in diplomatic dispute

The Trump administration revoked the visa of Brazil’s U.S. ambassador Tuesday — the latest jab in a monthslong diplomatic spat between the two countries.

The U.S. action was taken in retaliation for Brazil’s withholding formal approval for the Trump administration’s pick for U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, a senior State Department official told reporters Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on behalf of the State Department on condition of anonymity, said Brazil has indicated the approval is likely to be delayed until after its election in October.

The tit-for-tat has been ongoing since at least March, when Brazil denied visas to a U.S. delegation traveling to a critical minerals forum, the U.S. official said. In July, Brazil also denied visas to two U.S. officials, accusing them of plotting to meddle in Brazil’s electoral process.

“This week we had to deny visas to two young folks they were sending to Brazil to meddle in Brazil’s elections,” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said at an event last Wednesday.

The senior State Department official denied the accusations and said the assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor, Riley M. Barnes, and one of his deputies, Samuel Samson, “were making a routine trip” and were “denied the ability to do routine, common work between the two countries.”

“We’ve taken reciprocal action with respect to the Brazilian diplomat here to make the point that it can’t always be one-sided,” the senior State Department official said. “If there’s going to be limitations on one side’s diplomats, they will be reciprocated.”

The official clarified that Brazilian Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti will not be expelled from the U.S. but warned that additional diplomatic options remain on the table if the Brazilian government continues to delay or refuse to approve the U.S. ambassador nominee. If Viotti leaves the country, she would need to reapply for a visa, the official said, adding that the Brazilian ambassador’s visa will be reinstated if Brazil approves Perez.

“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,” the official said. “President Trump has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world.”

“President Trump is assembling an America First diplomatic A-team across his administration, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. We reject any effort by foreign countries to interfere in our domestic processes,” the official added.