Brazil has turned away visa applications from two officials representing the Trump administration who had planned to visit the country with the apparent goal of casting doubt on how its elections are run, according to two Brazilian officials who spoke with Reuters on Saturday.
The officials, who requested anonymity given the sensitive nature of the situation, described the U.S. effort as an attempt to interfere in Brazil’s October presidential race. That election will pit leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is considered an ally of President Trump.
Brazil formally rejected the visa requests on Friday. The proposed U.S. delegation was set to include Assistant Secretary Riley M. Barnes from the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, along with Deputy Assistant Secretary Samuel Samson, according to the Brazilian officials.
The U.S. State Department had not responded to a request for comment as of the time of this report.
The Washington Post was the first outlet to report on the planned U.S. mission, which was subsequently confirmed by Reuters.
