US revokes visa of Brazil's ambassador in escalating diplomatic row

Aug 4, 2026

The U.S. has revoked the visa of Brazil's ambassador, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, escalating a diplomatic dispute. The State Department calls the move reciprocal, a response to Brazil's failure to approve ambassadorial nominee Daniel Perez. Brazil's President Lula condemned the action as ideological and an attempt to interfere in the upcoming October election, where he faces Trump-ally Flávio Bolsonaro.

Visa revocation escalation

▪In July, Brazil denied visas to two US State Department officials from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
▪Brazil's government condemned the US visa revocation as a "deliberate escalation of hostile measures against Brazil, motivated by ideological reasons."
▪The US has revoked the visa of Brazil's ambassador to the United States, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti.
▪The visa of Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti will be reinstated if Brazil grants diplomatic approval for US nominee Daniel Perez.
▪Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti is not being declared persona non grata or expelled from the United States.

Ambassador nomination dispute

▪In early June, President Donald Trump nominated Daniel Perez, a Florida Republican, to be the new US ambassador to Brazil.
▪Brazil accused the US of breaching diplomatic protocol by publicly announcing Daniel Perez's nomination before seeking Brazil's consent.
▪US ambassadorial nominee Daniel Perez is a close ally of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
▪The US visa revocation is a "reciprocal" action because Brazil has not approved President Trump's nominee for ambassador to Brasilia.
▪Brazil's government stated it would not decide on Daniel Perez's appointment until after the first round of its election on October 4.

Brazilian election interference allegations

▪Brazil alleged the two US officials denied visas in July intended to interfere in the country's upcoming election.
▪Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is a close political ally of Donald Trump.
▪Former President Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for his role in a plot to overturn his 2022 election loss.
▪Brazil's presidential election is scheduled for October, with incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva facing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
▪The US State Department described allegations of American election interference in Brazil as a "baseless lie."

Trade tariffs on Brazil

▪President Lula stated the US has a $424.5 billion trade surplus with Brazil over the last 15 years, countering US tariff justifications.
▪In July, the Trump administration announced 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports, citing unfair trade practices.

Drug trafficking organization designations

▪The Trump administration classified two Brazilian drug trafficking groups, Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, as foreign terrorist organizations.
▪President Lula's government opposed the US designation of Brazilian drug trafficking groups as terrorist organizations.