The U.S. State Department has officially revoked the visa held by Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Brazil's ambassador to the United States. According to an official, the visa will be reinstated immediately if the Brazilian government grants diplomatic approval, known as agrément, for Daniel Perez, the nominee selected by President Trump to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Brazil.
Daniel Perez, who currently serves as the Republican speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and is a close ally of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has been unable to assume his post due to Brazil’s continued withholding of approval. The official stated that Washington believes the Brazilian government owes a prompt and positive response to the request, noting that authorities in Brazil have not only delayed the process but have also signaled that approval might be withheld until after their own upcoming election.
This development occurs within the context of several diplomatic disputes that have emerged over the past year. In July, Brazil denied visas to two U.S. State Department officials, alleging they attempted to interfere in the country's October elections by questioning the integrity of the voting system. The State Department has rejected these claims as baseless, maintaining that the planned visit by officials from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor was a routine engagement.
Political tensions remain high as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva prepares for reelection against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The former president, a known ally of President Trump, is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence related to his role in an attempted coup following his 2022 election loss.
Further strain has been placed on the bilateral relationship by the recent imposition of 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports. Washington cited unfair trade practices, including regulations on U.S. tech platforms, as the reason for the levies. President Lula has condemned these tariffs, denying the allegations of unfair practices and noting that the United States has accumulated a $424.5 billion surplus in goods and services with Brazil over the last 15 years. Lula previously suggested the tariffs were politically motivated and linked to the younger Bolsonaro’s recent visit to Washington.
Additionally, the Trump administration recently classified two Brazilian drug trafficking groups, Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, as foreign terrorist organizations. Lula harshly criticized this classification, stating that Brazil would not accept being treated like a "banana republic" or having the U.S. intervene in the handling of its criminals.
