US revokes visa of Brazil's ambassador amid diplomatic spat

The United States announced Tuesday it has revoked the visa of Brazil's current ambassador in Washington, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, due to Brazil's lack of agrément for the U.S. ambassador nominee in Brasilia. The decision does not require Ribeiro Viotti to leave the country. She can remain in the United States pending the resolution of the diplomatic impasse, a senior State Department official explained in a conference call with journalists.

"It is not the same as expelling the person from the country. It means she can remain here but without a visa, and her visa will be reinstated if the situation is resolved and they grant agrément to our chosen ambassador," the official stated. "If there are to be limitations for diplomats of one party, they will be applied reciprocally. That said, that is not the situation we are interested in," the diplomatic source insisted on condition of anonymity. If the ambassador decides to leave the United States, "she would need to reapply for a visa," the State Department explained in a message to AFP.

Brazilian diplomatic sources consulted by AFP declined to confirm whether the ambassador is still in the U.S. capital. U.S. President Donald Trump selected Daniel "Danny" Perez, a prominent Republican figure from Florida, as the new ambassador to Brasilia on June 1. His confirmation by the Senate has been postponed due to the lack of this "agrément," which host governments grant before receiving an ambassador. The diplomatic source explained to reporters that the Trump administration understood that this agrément "will probably be delayed until after the Brazilian presidential elections."

Several recent incidents have further strained relations. In March, a high-ranking U.S. official denied a visa to attend a conference on critical minerals in Brazil, the source explained. On July 25, Brasilia again denied visas to two officials intending to meet electoral authorities less than three months before the presidential elections, citing "risk of political instrumentalization." These officials were set to discuss "freedom of expression related to the elections" with various interlocutors, according to a Brazilian diplomatic source. The October elections are shaping up to be closely contested, pitting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Jair Bolsonaro's son, Flávio Bolsonaro.