Reuters: Brazil denies visas to two US officials over election concerns

Brazil has refused visa applications for two Trump administration officials who were expected to visit the country to question the credibility of its electoral system, two Brazilian officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on July 25.

The officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Washington’s planned visit was viewed as an effort to influence Brazil’s October presidential election, in which incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to face Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, an ally of US President Donald Trump.

According to the officials, Brazil rejected the visa requests on Friday, July 24, for the US delegation, which was to include Assistant Secretary Riley M. Barnes of the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary Samuel Samson.

The rejection was based on "evidence pointing to a renewed attempt to politically exploit the situation and undermine the electoral system", one of the officials noted.

One of the officials said the decision was based on "evidence pointing to a renewed attempt to politically exploit the situation and undermine the electoral system."

The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, also did not respond to Reuters' request.

By Jeyhun Aghazada