US and Australia suspend diplomatic operations in Brazil before election

Security threats prompt US and Australia to suspend diplomatic operations in Brazil before pivotal election day.

The US embassy in Brasilia, the Brazilian capital [File: Andressa Anholete/Getty Images]

The United States has suspended consular services in Brazil, prompting Australia to close its embassy in the Brazilian capital, two days before Brazil’s presidential election on Sunday.

In a statement released on Thursday, the US embassy said it would suspend consular services starting on Friday and advised American citizens seeking assistance not to visit its embassy, consulates or other diplomatic facilities.

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The statement cited security concerns but gave no further detail on the nature of the threat or any link to the election.

The US State Department said it was working closely with Brazilian counterparts to address the security concerns, adding that embassies and consulates routinely issue alerts about local threats and developments.

Australia’s ambassador to Brazil, Sophie Davies, said on social media that the Australian embassy would also close on Friday, citing the US alert, and advised Australians to avoid US diplomatic facilities.

Brazil’s federal police said they carried out preventive search and seizure warrants in Sao Paulo and the Federal District, the administrative region surrounding the capital, Brasilia, as part of an investigation into suspected plans that could threaten US diplomatic facilities.

Police said the operation followed cooperation with foreign intelligence agencies, but that investigators had found no evidence corroborating the initially reported threat, nor identified any suspects linked to criminal organisations.

An investigation was continuing after the seizure of communications equipment, according to the police.

The closures came two days before the Brazilian presidential election, which pits incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking re-election, against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup.

If neither candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote on Sunday, a runoff will be held on October 25.

Edinho Silva, president of Lula’s Workers’ Party, called the closures “unprecedented”, saying: “It makes no sense at all. It’s one of Trump’s ways of trying to influence Brazilian public opinion.”

Lula’s allies have pointed to US tariffs and an effort by Washington to send officials to Brazil to “discuss electoral integrity” as evidence of foreign interference.

Brazilian intelligence officials briefed French and German delegations in Brasilia this month on what they described as US and Russian interference in the race.

US President Donald Trump has publicly praised Flavio Bolsonaro, a close ally, without formally endorsing him, saying he is “watching that election very closely”.

安全威胁促使美国和澳大利亚在关键的选举日之前暂停在巴西的外交行动。

美国驻巴西首都巴西利亚大使馆 [图片来源：Andressa Anholete/Getty Images]

美国暂停了在巴西的领事服务，导致澳大利亚在巴西总统选举前两天（周日）关闭了其驻巴西首都的大使馆。

美国大使馆周四发表声明称，将从周五开始暂停领事服务，并建议寻求帮助的美国公民不要前往其大使馆、领事馆或其他外交机构。

列表 1/3：巴西大选背后的媒体之战

卢拉在联合国警告外国势力干预巴西大选（共3条，此为第2条）

在最新民调中，巴西的卢拉和弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗的支持率仍然基本持平（共3项民调中的第3项）。

声明中提到了安全方面的担忧，但没有提供关于威胁性质或与选举之间任何联系的更多细节。

美国国务院表示，正与巴西方面密切合作，以解决安全问题，并补充说，大使馆和领事馆会定期发布有关当地威胁和事态发展的警报。

澳大利亚驻巴西大使索菲·戴维斯在社交媒体上表示，鉴于美国的警报，澳大利亚大使馆也将于周五关闭，并建议澳大利亚人避免前往美国外交机构。

巴西联邦警察表示，他们已在圣保罗和首都巴西利亚周围的联邦区执行了预防性搜查和扣押令，这是对可能威胁美国外交设施的可疑计划进行调查的一部分。

警方表示，此次行动是与外国情报机构合作开展的，但调查人员没有发现任何证据证实最初报告的威胁，也没有发现任何与犯罪组织有关的嫌疑人。

警方表示，通讯设备被查获后，调查仍在继续。

这些关闭行动发生在巴西总统大选前两天，现任总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦（Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva）寻求连任，他的对手是参议员弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗（Flavio Bolsonaro），他是前总统雅伊尔·博尔索纳罗（Jair Bolsonaro）的儿子。雅伊尔·博尔索纳罗因企图发动政变而被判处27年监禁。

如果周日两名候选人均未获得超过 50% 的选票，则将于 10 月 25 日举行第二轮投票。

卢拉领导的劳工党主席埃迪尼奥·席尔瓦称这些关闭措施“史无前例”，并表示：“这完全没有道理。这是特朗普试图影响巴西公众舆论的手段之一。”

卢拉的盟友指出，美国对巴西征收关税，以及华盛顿试图派遣官员前往巴西“讨论选举公正性”，这些都是外国干预的证据。

本月，巴西情报官员在巴西利亚向法国和德国代表团通报了他们所称的美国和俄罗斯干预此次选举的情况。

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普公开赞扬了他的亲密盟友弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗，但没有正式支持他，并表示他“正在密切关注那次选举”。