US revokes visa of Brazilian ambassador in tit-for-tat diplomatic row

State Department officials clarified that the action does not formally label Ambassador Viotti as persona non grata, though her ability to remain in the country is now in flux. Should she depart, she would be required to apply for a new visa to return. According to US officials, the restriction is a direct response to Brazil’s stalling on Perez’s agrement and the country’s recent denial of visas to two American State Department staff members.

Brazil’s government sharply rejected the US justification, labeling the claims as false. In an official statement, the Brazilian presidency characterized the visa revocation as a deliberate act of hostility driven by ideological motives. The dispute intensifies ahead of Brazil’s October presidential election, where incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva faces opposition from Flavio Bolsonaro. Lula previously blocked the US officials' entry over alleged concerns regarding potential interference in the integrity of the Brazilian electoral system, an accusation the State Department dismissed as a routine diplomatic trip.