Rubio to meet Brazil foreign minister amid Bolsonaro row

Rubio to meet Brazil's foreign minister as diplomatic tensions simmer

Updated / Sunday, 1 Nov 2026 07:32

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he spoke with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira at a Group of 20 meeting, and that ⁠they will see each other again in a few weeks, a sign that the US and Brazil could de-escalate their diplomatic feud.

Mr Vieira took part in the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, which was hosted by Mr Rubio in Atlanta.

The two men spoke briefly, and agreed to meet in the coming weeks before a G20 leaders summit in Miami in December, a source familiar with the plans said.

That planned meeting could signal an effort by both countries to move on after discord stemming ‌from the Trump administration's decision ⁠in August to revoke the visa of Brazil's ambassador in Washington and the US decision to grant a visa to Flavio Bolsonaro after he lost the presidential election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Mr Rubio told reporters in Atlanta that he and Mr Vieira were expected to see each other again in France ‌at a G7 foreign ministers' summit that will take place next month.

Brazil is expected to attend the meeting as an observer, ⁠he noted.

Mr Rubio added that the Trump administration did not facilitate Mr Bolsonaro's departure to the US.

Mr Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday, a day after the State Department said he and his family would be granted US visas.

"We didn't facilitate anything," Mr Rubio said.

"We had word that he had arrived in the United States. He had previously held a visa, and the president made a decision to allow him to enter the country," Mr Rubio said, adding that the US government was not "involved directly in any of the moves that were made".

'Not politicising the issue'

A Brazilian official downplayed tensions over Brazil's failure to approve US President Donald ‌Trump's pick for ambassador in Brasilia and Mr Lula's victory in the 25 October runoff election.

"We're clearly ‌not politicising the issue, as we haven't in other situations regarding Brazilian citizens who have fled to the US," the Brazilian official said.

A US official and a person familiar with the matter have told Reuters that Mr ⁠Trump has no current plans to support Mr Bolsonaro's political ambitions despite allowing the Brazilian politician into ⁠the US.

Mr Rubio said that the US government "was not involved directly in any of the moves" that led to Mr Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil earlier this week.

Mr Bolsonaro's father, far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, is imprisoned in Brazil for plotting a coup after losing his own re-election bid in 2022.

Additional reporting PA