The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has cancelled the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, in a move Washington described as a reciprocal response to Brazil’s refusal to grant visas to two American diplomats last month.
According to a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, the decision followed weeks of unsuccessful diplomatic engagement with the Brazilian government.
“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 spokesperson said.
The revocation means Ambassador Viotti will have to apply for a new visa before she can enter the United States again if she leaves the country.
“This is a reciprocal action. Should the ambassador leave the country, she would need to reapply for a visa,” the spokesperson added.
The diplomatic disagreement stems from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s refusal to accept Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez. The U.S. State Department argued that the Brazilian government had no authority to reject the individual chosen by President Trump to represent American interests.
“President Trump has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world. We reject any effort by foreign countries to interfere in our domestic processes,” the department stated.
President Lula defended his position, saying the Trump administration announced Perez’s nomination without first consulting Brazil or seeking the customary diplomatic approval required before appointing an ambassador.
The dispute has also been fuelled by political differences, as Trump has openly supported former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who succeeded and later preceded Lula in office and was convicted over efforts to overturn his election defeat.
Brazilian authorities maintained that the two American diplomats were denied visas because of concerns they intended to interfere in the country’s political affairs. However, Washington strongly rejected the allegation.
Responding to the claim, the U.S. State Department described the accusation as unfounded, insisting that any suggestion the diplomats were involved in attempts to influence Brazil’s democratic process was false.