Democrats accuse Trump administration of interfering in Brazil’s elections

A group of 31 Democratic members of Congress sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio a letter accusing Donald Trump’s administration of interfering in Brazil’s presidential election and potentially undermining its legitimacy.

Brazil will hold the first round on October 4. Polls show a technical tie between incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

US measures cited in the letter

The document, signed by 30 House members and Senator Bernie Sanders, cited US tariffs on Brazil and plans to send two American officials to the country. The lawmakers said the officials were intended to cast doubt on Brazil’s voting system, which many experts consider among the world’s most reliable.

Lula’s administration ultimately denied visas to the US delegation. The Democrats also cited tariffs imposed by Trump in July under Section 301 of US trade law.

Link to Jair Bolsonaro’s case

The lawmakers said Trump made clear that his first tariffs on Brazil last year were partly linked to Jair Bolsonaro’s trial over an attempt to stage a coup after losing the 2022 election. Bolsonaro was ultimately convicted and, unable to run while under house arrest, named his son as his replacement.

The Democrats described the actions as part of a broader campaign of electoral interference in Latin America. They also referred to elections in Argentina, Honduras and Colombia; in July, another group of Democrats accused Trump of trying to support far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella in Colombia, where he later won the second round.

Request for a State Department response

Lula has repeatedly said Trump is attempting to interfere in Brazil’s election. At the opening of the UN General Assembly this week, he said Brazil would not allow internal or external enemies of democracy to act against the will of the people.

The lawmakers asked Rubio to commit to respecting Brazil’s electoral process and respond by October 1. The State Department has not yet answered a request for comment.