Brazil condemns US visa action against ambassador

A fresh diplomatic storm has swept across the Brazil-US relationship after Brasília strongly condemned Washington’s decision to alter the visa status of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, branding the reasons cited by the US as “false” and politically motivated.

The move by Washington came in retaliation for Brazil’s refusal last month to grant entry visas to two US State Department officials and its delay in approving President Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of US ambassador to Brazil.

Rejecting the US action, Brazil defended its decision, saying the two American officials had planned to visit the country to question the credibility of Brazil’s electoral system — a move Brasília described as an unacceptable intrusion into its domestic political affairs.

On the ambassadorial appointment dispute, Brazil said Washington had announced its nominee before formally seeking approval from Brasília, arguing that the move violated procedures under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

“There is no rule in the Vienna Convention stipulating a deadline for granting agreement,” the Brazilian government said, adding that the request for approval of the US ambassador-designate remains under review.

The diplomatic rift has widened further as Brasília pointed to continuing US sanctions against Brazilian officials, including Supreme Federal Court justices and senior government figures whose visas were revoked over allegations of political persecution.

A senior US State Department official said the visa action against ambassador Viotti was linked to Brazil’s refusal to issue visas to American diplomats and its pending approval of Trump’s ambassador nominee. The official added that the restrictions could be lifted if the disputes are resolved.

Trump had nominated Daniel Perez in early June to serve as the next US ambassador to Brazil, but the appointment cannot move forward until Brasília grants its formal approval.

Brazil’s foreign ministry confirmed that Viotti was informed of the US decision while she was in Brazil, according to Brazilian media reports.

The latest confrontation marks another chapter in a growing diplomatic chill between the two nations, with Washington recently imposing additional visa restrictions on Brazilian officials and criticising decisions by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court in high-profile judicial cases.

With IANS inputs