Ione Wells

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed that Brazil denied visas to two US State Department officials, accusing them of intending to interfere in the country’s October election. The officials said their planned visit concerned freedom of expression, religion and election integrity, while the US State Department called Brazil’s allegation baseless. The decision followed statements by presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro questioning Brazil’s electronic voting system. Brazilian authorities and experts reject those claims, citing audits, paper tallies, biometric safeguards and the absence of recorded systemic fraud. The election is expected to pit Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro, whose father Jair Bolsonaro was barred from office and convicted over a coup plot.