巴西政府拒绝向美国国务院两名高级官员发放签证，指控他们意图对巴西即将举行的选举造成干扰。[1][2]被拒签的两人为助理国务卿Riley M. Barnes和副助理国务卿Samuel Samson，他们的签证申请于7月20日被拒绝。[1][2]根据美国国务院的说法，这两名官员原计划于7月27日至30日访问巴西利亚，讨论"选举完整性"、宗教自由和言论自由等问题。[1]
巴西官方声称掌握"证据指向美国试图对局势进行政治操纵并破坏选举制度"。[2]美国国务院则否认这一指控，称"任何关于'策划'破坏民主国家选举的暗示都是无稽之谈"。[2]巴西定于10月4日举行总统大选。[2]
这起事件反映出两国关系的紧张状态。特朗普政府已对巴西出口商品征收高达37.5%的关税，该措施于周五生效。[1]此外，美国政府已将巴西最大的两个贩毒集团——第一司令部和红色司令部——列为恐怖组织。[1]前总统博索纳罗因试图发动政变被判处27年监禁。[1][2]
Brazil's government has rejected visa applications from two senior US State Department officials, Riley M. Barnes and Samuel Samson, citing concerns over alleged American interference in the country's electoral process [1][2]. The officials had submitted their applications on July 20, with rejections issued shortly thereafter [1][2]. They had planned to visit Brazil between July 27 and 30 to discuss "electoral integrity," religious freedom, and freedom of speech [1].
Brazilian authorities contend that the visit represents an attempt to undermine the nation's democratic system and sow doubt about the October presidential election [2]. The US State Department has countered that "any insinuation of a 'ploy' to undermine a democratic nation's election is a baseless lie" [2]. This diplomatic clash occurs amid broader tensions between the two countries, including the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs as high as 37.5% on Brazilian exports, which took effect on Friday [1], and disagreements over the classification of major Brazilian drug trafficking organizations as terrorist entities [1].
The timing reflects intensifying friction as Brazil prepares for its October 4 presidential contest [2]. Former President Jair Bolsonaro, who lost to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, faces a 27-year prison sentence for allegedly attempting to stage a coup [1][2]. In late May, Bolsonaro's brother Eduardo visited US officials, including President Trump [1].