U.S. Suspends Consular Services in Brazil Two Days Before the Vote
The State Department cited unspecified security concerns ahead of Sunday’s first-round presidential election, where the polls show Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro locked in a tight race.
The United States suspended consular services at its embassy and consulates in Brazil on Friday, citing unspecified security concerns two days before the country’s presidential election.
The State Department announced the move Thursday. “Consular Services in the US Embassy and Consulates in Brazil will be suspended starting Friday, October 2 due to security concerns,” it said in a statement, telling American citizens seeking emergency assistance not to come to the embassy or consulates.
The department did not say what the security concerns are, did not link them to Sunday’s vote, and did not say when services will resume. A spokesperson said Friday the United States is “working closely with our Brazilian counterparts to address the security concerns.”
A tight race
Brazilians vote Sunday in the first round of the presidential election. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of valid votes, the top two advance to a runoff on October 25.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking re-election against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The polls show the race is essentially a coin flip.
A Datafolha survey released Thursday put Lula at 42 percent in the first round to Bolsonaro’s 38 percent, with the rest of the field in single digits. The survey of 2,506 people, taken September 29 through October 1, had a margin of error of two points.
In a simulated runoff, Datafolha gave Lula 48 percent to Bolsonaro’s 45. A separate AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll released Tuesday had it even tighter: 47.7 percent for Bolsonaro to 47.6 for Lula in a runoff, from a survey of 5,005 people.
Sunday’s election is the first since 2022, when Jair Bolsonaro lost his re-election bid. He is in prison after being convicted of plotting a coup to stay in power after the defeat.
Foreign interference claims
Lula has warned of foreign interference in the vote, including what he described as fresh U.S. tariffs aimed at the country. This month, Brazilian intelligence officials briefed French and German delegations in Brasília on alleged American and Russian interference efforts, according to Reuters.
Violent crime has ranked high among voter concerns in the polls, and the candidates have promised tougher security measures.
