U.S. President Donald Trump's involvement in Brazil's presidential election is significant as he meets with both incumbent leftist candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Trump has praised Bolsonaro for designating two major Brazilian drug cartels as terrorist organizations, a move seen as beneficial to Bolsonaro’s campaign despite Lula's criticism of such actions. The article highlights how Trump's influence could sway voters in a closely contested election, with some seeing him as a "decisive factor" due to his impact on crime issues important to many Brazilians.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
U.S. President Donald Trump's sometimes bombastic stance towards Brazil has placed him at the center of debate ahead of the country's tightly fought presidential elections in October.
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stance → place → October
Also read | Trump administration proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices
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administration → read → practices
Given Mr. Trump's track record of throwing his weight behind his Latin American allies — like Argentine leader Javier Milei, Colombia's presidential hopeful Abelardo de la Espriella, and Nasry Asfura in Honduras, to name but a few — a similar intervention in Brazil appears likely.
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intervention → give → Brazil
"It can be expected that Brazil will also be the target of a U.S. attempt to influence the elections," given Mr. Trump's past "partisan interventionism," according to Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
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Brazil → expect → Foundation
However, the U.S. leader's influence could be less clear-cut this time around.
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influence → cut → ?
While celebrating his "excellent chemistry" with leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, Mr. Trump has also called candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, a "smart young man who loves his country."
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who → celebrate → country
Both have visited the White House in recent weeks.
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Both → visit → weeks
Mr. Lula, who has accused Mr. Trump of behaving like an "emperor," praised their solid rapport after the pair's meeting in May.
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who → accuse → May
Also Read: Lula draws the line amid Trump interference in Brazil’s close and tough election
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Lula → read → election
But within days of Mr. Bolsonaro's visit the same month, Mr. Trump endorsed a cause celebre of Brazil's political right by designating the country's two largest drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
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Trump → endorse → organizations
He also announced possible tariff hikes on Brazilian products, much to the displeasure of the Lula administration.
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He → announce → administration
With polls currently projecting a tight second round between Mr. Lula and Mr. Bolsonaro, the right-wing camp is adamant that victory requires a healthy relationship with Washington.
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victory → project → Washington
Mr. Bolsonaro took to social media to celebrate his own role in getting Mr. Trump to designate the so-called Red Command (CV) and First Capital Command (PCC) crime groups as terrorist organizations.
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Trump → take → organizations
"On a trip as a pre-candidate, we did more for Brazil and the safety of Brazilians than the Workers' Party and Mr. Lula did in 17 years in office," he boasted.
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he → do → office
Tens of millions of Brazilians living in working-class areas are highly concerned by organized crime and the violence it generates.
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it → live → crime
"The U.S. measure benefits Flavio and wears down Lula, who has always been against it," pro-Bolsonaro lawmaker Sostenes Cavalcante told AFP.
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Cavalcante → benefit → AFP
Cavalcante views the American leader as a "decisive factor" in the campaign, but said the Trump card must be used prudently.
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card → view → campaign
"We must be very careful, because he has a positive side that benefits us but also a high disapproval rating," he said, alluding to polls showing that Brazilians are divided over the U.S. president.
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Brazilians → have → president
Despite enormous ideological differences, Mr. Lula has managed to keep Mr. Trump on his side — but only sometimes.
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Lula → manage → side
Washington's decision to slap sky-high tariffs on Brazil in 2025 as retaliation for convicting Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup marked a sour patch in the pair's relations.
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decision → slap → relations
Most of those tariffs have since disappeared, but the recent proposal to impose 25% tariffs on some Brazilian products for alleged unfair trade practices has once again rankled Brasilia.
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proposal → disappear → Brasilia
Mr. Lula blamed the increased tariffs on Mr. Bolsonaro's whisperings in Washington, calling the right-wing candidate a "traitor" to his own export-reliant country.
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Lula → blame → country
Although Mr. Bolsonaro denies the allegation, "the tariffs canceled out the advantage Flavio had gained from the U.S. decision regarding the PCC and the CV," said Ms. Stuenkel.
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Stuenkel → deny → PCC
Mr. Lula is attempting to negotiate directly with Mr. Trump but says he is being blocked by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American whom the leftist has called a "mortal enemy" of Latin America.
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leftist → attempt → America
Nevertheless, "the Trump-Lula channel is the best thing" the U.S.-Brazil relationship currently has, Bruna Santos, Brazil director at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, told AFP.
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Santos → have → AFP
"Their last meeting is what calmed tempers," she said.
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she → calm → tempers
Both leaders have confirmed their attendance at the G7 summit in France from June 15 to 17, but it remains unknown if they will meet one-on-one during the event.
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they → confirm → event
The Aporia
