Thirty members of the US Congress and Senator Bernie Sanders have accused President Donald Trump’s administration of interfering in Brazil’s presidential election, scheduled for October 4.
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In a letter sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the 31 lawmakers called on the Washington administration to support the integrity of the electoral process and accept the certified result, regardless of the winning candidate’s name. They asked Rubio to respond by October 1.
The Democrats who signed the document expressed concern over a series of White House decisions that, in their view, exert political, economic and diplomatic pressure on Brazil’s institutions. The letter cites tariffs imposed by the United States on Brazil, sanctions against Brazilian judges and officials, as well as other diplomatic measures.
The lawmakers also criticized the use of economic and diplomatic instruments in connection with judicial proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro, along with sanctions imposed under the Magnitsky Act.
Another issue mentioned in the letter is the United States’ designation of two of Brazil’s largest criminal groups, PCC and Comando Vermelho, as foreign terrorist organizations. According to the lawmakers, this decision and other steps by the administration could affect the political atmosphere ahead of the vote.
In their assessment, these policies could weaken Brazil’s democratic institutions, undermine public confidence in the elections and worsen relations between Washington and Brasília.
The letter also refers to the US administration’s intention to send officials to Brazil to verify the electronic voting system. Brazilian authorities did not issue visas to the US officials who were due to take part in the mission.
Brazil’s presidential race is taking place amid a tense political situation. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking to secure a new term, while Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, is also running for president.
The accusations have been made by US lawmakers and do not constitute evidence that the voting process or the final result have been manipulated. So far, the US Department of State has not responded to the letter or the lawmakers’ claims.
