By Dharvi Vaid with AP and Reuters
Brazil has denied visas to two officials from United States President Donald Trump’s administration who had sought to travel to the country to meet with electoral authorities ahead of the October presidential election.
A spokesperson for Brazil’s foreign office said on Saturday that Assistant Secretary Riley M. Barnes from the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, had requested a visa on July 20, along with Samuel Samson, a deputy assistant secretary.
The delegation’s visa request was rejected on Friday, the spokesperson said.
The Washington Post had first reported on the planned visit of the two envoys, citing senior Brazilian officials who said they had learnt of a US “ploy” that was “completely incompatible with Brazilian democracy”.
The denial of the visas was based on “evidence pointing to a renewed attempt to politically exploit the situation and undermine the electoral system”, news agency
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