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US and Australia suspend diplomatic operations in Brazil before election
Al Jazeera • • nation
Key Points:
- The United States has suspended consular services in Brazil starting Friday due to unspecified security concerns, leading Australia to close its embassy in Brasilia ahead of Brazil's presidential election on Sunday.
- Brazilian federal police conducted preventive searches in Sao Paulo and the Federal District related to suspected threats against US diplomatic facilities but found no evidence or suspects linked to criminal organizations.
- The election features incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeking re-election against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, with a runoff possible if no candidate achieves over 50% of the vote.
- Lula’s party condemned the embassy closures as unprecedented and suggested the US action is an attempt to influence Brazilian public opinion amid concerns over foreign interference in the election.
- Brazilian intelligence has reported concerns about US and Russian interference, while former US President Donald Trump has publicly praised Flavio Bolsonaro, a close ally, without an official endorsement.
