U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration would continue working with Brazil after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election. (Foto: Instagram)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration would continue working with Brazil’s government following Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election. He made the remarks Monday, Nov. 9, on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France, while discussing relations between Washington and Brasília.
“We will be dealing with the Brazilian government. We were dealing with it before,” Rubio said. He also pointed to issues he said the two countries need to resolve, including Brazil’s approval of Daniel Pérez, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Brazil has not granted the diplomatic approval, known as agrément, required for a proposed ambassador to take up the post.
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry, known as Itamaraty, has said the delay stems from the U.S. announcement of Pérez’s nomination before completing diplomatic steps and protocols. Washington then revoked the visa of Maria Luiza Viotti, Brazil’s current ambassador to the United States.
“This is a problem. Danny Perez is our nominee, and they have not granted agrément,” Rubio said. He argued that the situation needed to be resolved, adding that he did not think blocking the U.S. ambassador from entering Brazil set a good tone for the relationship. Brazil has an ambassador in the United States, he said, but “at some point this imbalance cannot continue.” Rubio also cited trade as an issue for discussion between the countries. Brazil is currently subject to two tariffs that total 37.5%.
