On Tuesday, August 5th, 2026, the US State Department revoked the visa of Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, the Brazilian ambassador to the United States, amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two governments. Viotti has served as Brazil’s ambassador to the US since June 2023.

The State Department described the visa revocation as a “reciprocal action” in response to the Brazilian government’s delay in approving Daniel Perez, President Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Brazil. Perez, the Speaker of the Florida House, was nominated in early June 2026 but has yet to receive Brazil’s formal approval, a process known as "agrément."

A State Department spokesperson emphasized President Trump’s authority to select US representatives abroad and rejected “any effort by foreign countries to interfere in our domestic processes.”

The Brazilian government disputed the US justification, stating that the Trump administration “publicly announced the name of its nominee before formally requesting agrément from the Brazilian Government.”

Adding to the tensions, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer imposed 25 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian imports last month, citing concerns over Brazil’s digital trade policies, inadequate enforcement against misconduct, and retaliatory tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The office of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a statement condemning the US decision, saying it “repudiates” the visa revocation.

Sources