State Department revokes Brazilian ambassador's visa amid diplomatic dispute

The State Department reportedly said Tuesday that it has revoked the visa of Brazil’s U.S. ambassador, marking the latest step in the months-long tension between the two countries.

The department said the decision was in retaliation for Brazil withholding formal approval of President Donald Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, according to NBC News.

The State Department said Perez's approval would likely be delayed until after Brazil's election in October.

A senior department official told reporters that the latest moves also come after Brazil denied visas to assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor, Riley Barnes, and one of his deputies, Samuel Samson last month.

“We’ve taken reciprocal action with respect to the Brazilian diplomat here to make the point that it can’t always be one-sided,” the department official said. “If there’s going to be limitations on one side’s diplomats, they will be reciprocated.”

The official said that Brazilian Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti will not be expelled from the U.S. but if she leaves the country, then she would need to reapply for a visa, which would be reinstated as soon as Brazil approves Perez. 

“We communicated continually with the Brazilian government for weeks and have given the Brazilian government every opportunity to do the right thing, yet they have continually delayed and obfuscated,” the official said. “President Trump has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world.”

The move comes as Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been at odds recently, with Trump regularly criticizing the country's handling of its criminal prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.