Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential campaign released a social‑media advert on Thursday night that accuses former U.S. president Donald Trump of seeking to “colonise” Brazil by meddling in the October 4 election. The minute‑long video, narrated by a woman, claims Trump is backing Flávio Bolsonaro to secure Brazil’s natural resources for the United States.
The U.S. State Department has denied any interference, calling the allegations a “baseless lie”. Washington has also imposed a 25% tariff on Brazilian imports and is accused of using diplomatic and economic pressure, according to a confidential intelligence document that warned of a “critical level” of U.S. interference. The campaign ad cites reports of Big Tech involvement and links between Bolsonaro’s campaign and the conservative donor network Rockbridge, co‑founded by former Vice‑President J.D. Vance.
Lula spoke at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, warning that Brazil would not allow its democracy to be attacked by internal or external enemies. Back home, communications secretary Éden Valadares said the ad was part of a broader effort to “alert the Brazilian people” and that the Workers’ Party was planning nationwide events to mobilise society in response to the perceived U.S. campaign.
Earlier this week, a group of Democratic congressmen wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accusing the Trump administration of a “sustained, multifaceted campaign of interference and destabilisation” in Brazil. They demanded a response by October 1 and urged the U.S. to respect Brazil’s electoral process.
The election, with Lula and Bolsonaro neck and neck, will see a second‑round run‑off on October 25 if no candidate secures a majority. The growing alarm over possible U.S. meddling has drawn criticism from both sides of the Brazilian political spectrum, including right‑wing candidate Renan Santos, who also warned against Brazil becoming a U.S. vassal state.
