Key facts
- Lula's campaign released an advert accusing Trump of seeking to colonize Brazil and capture its resources.
- The advert claimed Trump supports Lula's opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro.
- The US State Department denied allegations of election meddling.
- Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio concerning alleged US interference.
- Another right-wing candidate, Renan Santos, also accused Trump of seeking to interfere in Brazil's elections.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's campaign has accused US President Donald Trump of seeking to "colonise" Brazil and capture its natural resources by interfering in the upcoming presidential election. The accusation was made in a televised campaign advert broadcast on Thursday.
The minute-long video claimed that Trump was trying to sway the election in favor of Lula's far-right adversary, Flávio Bolsonaro, to advance US interests in the South American nation. "Flávio Bolsonaro is Trump’s candidate and what Trump wants is to colonise Brazil, take our riches, steal our future and leave us in the dust," the narrator stated.
The US State Department has denied any claims of meddling, stating in a previous statement that "any insinuation of a ‘ploy’ to undermine a democratic nation’s election is a baseless lie." Lula himself wrote on X that Bolsonaro wanted to "hand our natural resources over to the United States," adding, "If it’s up to him, Brazil will become a colony again."
With the first round of voting scheduled for October 4 and a potential runoff on October 25, polls show Lula and Bolsonaro in a close race. Concerns about alleged US attempts to influence the election result have been growing, with reports of diplomatic and economic pressure, including 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports.
Lula indirectly criticized perceived US meddling at the UN General Assembly, stating, "We will not allow the enemies of democracy – internal or external – to attack the will of the people. Brazilian democracy belongs to the Brazilians." Earlier this week, dozens of Democratic lawmakers wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to denounce the Trump administration's "apparent effort to interfere with, and potentially undermine" Brazil's elections.
The campaign ad cited recent media reports about alleged US interference, including claims about Big Tech companies and a confidential document from Brazil's intelligence agency warning of a "critical level" of risk. The video also highlighted claims linking Bolsonaro's campaign to the conservative donor network Rockbridge, co-founded by Trump's former vice president JD Vance.
Éden Valadares, communications secretary for Lula's Worker's party, said the ad aimed to "alert the Brazilian people" to an "ideologically-driven US campaign." He added that Lula had instructed the party to "mobilise Brazilian society... and to react in the streets," with nationwide events planned for Sunday.
Fears of US interference are not limited to the Brazilian left. Renan Santos, another right-wing candidate, also denounced Trump's actions, stating he did not want Brazil to become a "US vassal state" and that "they want to interfere in Brazil’s elections to secure satisfactory contracts involving rare earths." Santos recalled the US invasion of Venezuela, warning against Latin America becoming an "American protectorate."
The Democratic lawmakers' letter asked if the Trump administration would commit to respecting Brazil's electoral process, requesting a response by October 1. The State Department had not yet responded to a request for comment.