Overview
- The United States canceled Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti’s visa on Tuesday but did not declare her persona non grata or order her to leave the country.
- U.S. officials said the action was a reciprocal response to Brazil denying visas to U.S. diplomats and withholding formal approval, known as agrément, for the U.S. ambassador nominee.
- Daniel Perez was nominated in June and cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but cannot assume the post until Brazil grants agrément and the full Senate confirms him.
- Brazil condemned the move as politically motivated interference ahead of its Oct. 4 presidential election and said it is reviewing the U.S. nomination in line with diplomatic practice.
- The visa row compounds wider U.S.-Brazil tensions — including recent U.S. tariff increases and the designation of Brazilian criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations — and raises the risk of further reciprocal steps that could affect diplomacy and trade.