Brazil denies visas for US officials seeking talks

SAO PAULO

Flavio Bolsonaro raises his arm during a Liberal Party meeting.

Brazil denied visas for two U.S. officials who sought to meet with Brazilian election authorities less than three months before a tense presidential vote, a diplomatic source has told AFP.

The Brazilian source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cited a “risk of political exploitation” as being behind the decision.

It comes after Brazil’s right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro renewed unfounded claims this week that the country’s electronic voting system is insecure, and as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to press falsehoods about American elections.

The source said the U.S. request was filed on July 20, with the two officials hoping to discuss issues of “freedom of expression related to the elections” with local authorities.

It “caught people’s attention” that the visa request came the same day Flavio Bolsonaro held a private meeting with foreign diplomats, during which he reportedly questioned the reliability of Brazil’s electronic voting system, the source added.