Rubio sends Brazil’s Lula the right message

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was right to grant a visa to Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and his family. As President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, grows increasingly vindictive and authoritarian, the United States should make clear that political persecution has adverse consequences. Supporting freedom and democracy in Latin America means standing behind those whose right to challenge the government is under threat. Offering protection to an opposition leader in the region’s biggest and most populous nation upholds America’s principles and serves its strategic interests.Bolsonaro and his family arrived in the U.S. this week after his defeat in the Oct. 25 election. His relocation was well timed, for following that close result, Brazilian prosecutors moved quickly to seize Bolsonaro’s passport. They say the conservative politician is under investigation for money laundering and is a flight risk.The allegations against Bolsonaro are serious and, if Brazilian media reporting is accurate, also credible. Brazilian police are said to have financial records linking Bolsonaro to money-laundering schemes. Considering the grotesque scale of political corruption in Latin America, effective anti-corruption efforts are a priority. Regardless of the evidence, however, Lula’s presidency makes it impossible for Bolsonaro to get a fair trial. Lula, who was previously imprisoned for his involvement in a vast kickback scheme involving Brazil’s nationalized energy company, seeks vengeance against anyone who dares to challenge him.His animus is not limited to Bolsonaro. Journalists, opposition figures, and activists have all faced repression since Lula returned to power in 2023. Most visible has been the president’s fanatical focus on shutting down critical social media accounts. This crackdown has involved Lula’s politicization of the judiciary, including his stacking of the Supreme Court with partisan allies.Lula appointed his interior minister and his personal lawyer to the nation’s highest court. The results have been alarming.In 2024, X, formerly Twitter, was taken offline for all Brazilian users after its owner, Elon Musk, refused to block accounts critical of Lula. X was allowed to resume operations only after it paid millions of dollars in fines and restricted the accounts in question. Lula says this is about countering “disinformation.” In reality, it’s about controlling the narrative.Lula’s former lawyer, now a Supreme Court justice, was responsible for extending voting hours at the last minute on Sunday. While both campaigns applied for extended voting hours, the announcement came when many voting stations had already closed and could not reopen. Coming from Lula’s crony, the decision suggests judicial impropriety.It appears that Lula would have won regardless of his Election Day antics. But Rubio and the Trump administration must consider the day after tomorrow. Had they rejected Bolsonaro’s request for sanctuary, they wouldn’t simply have given Lula new space for his anti-democratic ambitions — they would also have betrayed nearly 60 million people who voted for Bolsonaro. By acting as it did, the Trump administration has shown those Brazilians that America supports the democratic rule of law.Lula is no friend of the U.S. Ensconced in the Latin American Left’s anti-Washington tradition, he has prioritized closer relations with the U.S.’s preeminent adversaries. China, for example, has been allowed to build satellite control stations that help its espionage in the Western Hemisphere. China has secured rights over Brazil’s vast rare earth mineral reserves and at its trade ports.2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS LIVE UPDATES: LATEST NEWS, RESULTS AND ANALYSISLula has also been loath to challenge Russia over its aggression against Ukraine and the West (though President Donald Trump’s kowtowing to Vladimir Putin dilutes this otherwise legitimate American complaint). Lula has also made Brazil an important political and trade partner for Iran.The central concern is a simple one. Until Lula leaves power and judicial independence is restored in Brazil, it will be impossible for Bolsonaro to receive a fair trial. Were the U.S. to abandon that democratic principle, it would betray the people of Brazil and assist an authoritarian leader who wishes to harm American interests and values.