The United States has revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to Washington, Maria Viotti, over the straining diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The development, believed to be a reciprocal move after Brazil denied entry to two US State Department officials, the US State Department disclosing that the visa revocation was a direct response to Brazil’s refusal to grant visas to two senior American officials who had planned to visit the country, noting that Washington had repeatedly urged Brasília to reverse its decision but received no positive response.
According to a State Department spokesperson on Tuesday, the cancellation of Viotti’s visa does not amount to her expulsion from the United States but represents a “reciprocal action” following Brazil’s earlier move.
“We communicated continually with the Brazilian government for weeks and have given the Brazilian government every opportunity to do the right thing, yet they have continually delayed and obfuscated,” the spokesperson said.
The department added that although the ambassador is not barred from the United States, “additional diplomatic options remain on the table” should the dispute continue.
The latest development marks another escalation in tensions between Washington and Brasília, whose relations have deteriorated in recent months following the US decision to reimpose tariffs on Brazilian goods and designate several Brazilian criminal gangs as terrorist organisations.
Reacting to the decision, the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil dismissed the US explanation, describing Washington’s justification for revoking the ambassador’s visa as “false.”
The diplomatic row stems from Brazil’s decision to deny visas to two senior US State Department officials who were scheduled to visit the country in late July. The officials said their trip was intended to focus on issues relating to freedom of expression, religious freedom and election integrity.