The administration of United States President Donald Trump is facing accusations of attempting to influence Brazil’s upcoming presidential election, amid growing tensions between Washington and Brasília.
Trump on Thursday said he was following the Brazilian election “very closely”, describing Brazil as a “very important” country.
“The people of Brazil are fantastic people,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “It’s a very important election.”
The comments came as Brazil prepares for federal elections on Sunday, including congressional and gubernatorial contests as well as the first round of voting in the presidential election.
The US State Department subsequently announced the suspension of its consular services in Brazil ahead of the vote, citing unspecified security concerns. It advised US citizens requiring emergency assistance during the period not to visit the US Embassy, consulates or other diplomatic facilities.
The election is being closely watched as Brazil, Latin America’s largest country, navigates a political landscape that has seen growing support for conservative movements across the region.
A runoff is expected on October 25, with polls indicating a closely contested race between left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The elder Bolsonaro was convicted last year over allegations that he plotted a coup to overturn his defeat in the 2022 presidential election. Trump was among conservative figures who criticised the proceedings, describing the case as a “witch hunt.”
Trump’s open interest in the election has prompted concerns among Democratic lawmakers in the US that his administration could be seeking to influence Brazil’s political process.
In a September 24 letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 30 House Democrats and independent Senator Bernie Sanders expressed what they described as “grave concern” over the administration’s handling of relations with Brazil ahead of the election.
The lawmakers accused the Trump administration of pursuing a “sustained, multifaceted campaign of interference and destabilization in Brazil” during his second term.
Three Democratic senators raised similar concerns in a separate letter to Rubio on Monday, pointing to US tariffs and sanctions imposed during the dispute over the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
They argued that the administration’s economic pressure was intended to influence Brazilian authorities and the country’s Supreme Court.
The senators also criticised the appointment of Darren Beattie as a senior State Department adviser on Brazil. Beattie previously served as a speechwriter during Trump’s first term and later returned to government under the current administration.
The lawmakers said US diplomatic, economic and political pressure risked weakening Brazil’s democratic institutions and public confidence in its electoral system.
They urged the Trump administration to commit to recognising the certified outcome of Brazil’s 2026 elections.
The White House, however, has rejected the allegations of interference.
“Conservative leaders are winning elections across the Western Hemisphere on their own merit because everyone sees the success of President Trump’s policies,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told TIME.
“These claims are nonsense,” she added.
