A Brazilian senator seeking his country’s presidency conducted high-level diplomatic meetings in Washington this week, including sessions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro confirmed the Wednesday meetings occurred one day after he visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
These Washington visits take place while the senator faces political turbulence following his admission that he solicited funds from a banker, who is now imprisoned, to finance a documentary about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. The senator maintains his innocence regarding any misconduct.
Public opinion surveys show the senator’s support has declined since this controversy became public knowledge this month, though he continues to run neck-and-neck with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in projected runoff scenarios for the October presidential race.
According to the senator, his conversations with American officials this week covered topics including combating organized crime, rare earth minerals, and freedom of expression issues.
Bolsonaro revealed that his father’s medical situation was also discussed during the meetings, including the Oval Office session with Trump. His father is currently under house arrest while serving a 27-year prison term following his conviction for attempting to orchestrate a coup.
President Lula had previously met with Trump at the White House earlier this month.
