Key facts
- US accused of interfering in Brazil's 2026 presidential election through economic and diplomatic pressure.
- Critics draw parallels to alleged US meddling in Brazil's 1962 elections, which preceded a military coup.
- Measures include 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports and designation of crime groups as terrorist organizations.
- US officials allegedly denied entry visas for planning to interfere and sow doubt about Brazil's voting system.
- The State Department denies any intent to undermine Brazil's democratic process.
Accusations of United States interference in Brazil's upcoming presidential election have surfaced, drawing parallels to alleged US actions during the Cold War era. Critics claim that economic and diplomatic pressure is being exerted to favor Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, over the incumbent leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Historians point to 1962, when the CIA and the Department of State allegedly funneled millions of dollars to opposition candidates and propaganda groups to counter then-President João Goulart. Chico Rubens Paiva, whose grandfather investigated this alleged meddling, fears a repeat scenario ahead of the 2026 election.
Recent US measures include imposing 25% tariffs on most Brazilian imports and designating major Brazilian crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Brazilian officials suspect these actions are intended to boost Bolsonaro by portraying Lula as lenient on crime. Furthermore, two Trump officials were reportedly denied entry visas for allegedly planning to interfere and undermine Brazil's voting system, a claim the US State Department denies as a "baseless lie."
Political scientist Celso Rocha de Barros expressed bewilderment that the alleged US interference, which he deems the election's most urgent theme, is not receiving more media attention. He stated that the US is "explicitly backing a candidate" and "strangling the Brazilian economy" to help him win.
Historians Lilia Schwarcz and Heloisa Starling, and historian James N Green, have detailed past US interventions, including funding groups to disrupt Goulart's government and prepare the ground for the 1964 military coup. Green notes that while past interventions were covert, current actions are openly conducted on a larger scale.
These tactics are seen by some as an effort to weaken Lula's government, challenge US economic policies against Cuba, and generally neutralize leftwing forces in Latin America, contributing to a perceived "orange wave" of rightwing populists in the region. Argentina's President Javier Milei, who attended Bolsonaro's campaign launch, has also been accused of benefiting from Trump's support.