US diplomats informed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) that the US intends to quickly recognize the winner of the Brazilian election in order to deter questioning the results that could lead to an institutional crisis or chaos in the country. . , two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The subject was one of the main topics of the meeting between Lula, who led the election race in São Paulo, and Douglas Koneff, the US embassy charge d’affaires, last Wednesday.
According to one of the sources, the former president commented that recognition of the result would be an important move to try to minimize the impetus to contest the election of President Jair Bolsonaro, who insisted that the electronic voting system was invalid without proof. is subject to fraud.
Lula heard from the US diplomat that Washington’s intention is to recognize the winner of the election as soon as the president of the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) makes the official announcement, regardless of the outcome.
Celso Amorim, former foreign minister, Lula’s international adviser, heard assurances from many diplomats in the region that the election result would be quickly recognized, during a meeting last Thursday with ambassadors of nearly 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The message was formally delivered to the Amorim at side talks or at the farewells of the meeting, where ambassadors were scheduled to present Lula’s ideas on foreign policy in a possible new government.
According to a source who witnessed the talks, the message from diplomats was that they thought an international stance was important to help avoid questions about their country’s election process.
CAPTOL EFFECT
Still under the influence of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump, the administration of Democrat Joe Biden has expressed growing concern over Bolsonaro’s accusations about the risks of unfounded election fraud.
The US government informed Bolsonaro during visits by senior advisers that attempts to disrupt the process were not well received in Washington.
As Reuters showed in May, CIA director William Burns told the president’s close aides during a visit to Brazil that the Brazilian president should stop questioning the voting system. The message was not well received at Planalto Palace.
Nine days into the election, Lula has once again boosted his advantage over Bolsonaro and is leading by up to 16 percent in intent-to-vote polls. According to Datafolha this Thursday, the PT holds the mathematical chance of solving the selection in the first round.
Bolsonaro has raised doubts about the electoral process more intensely in recent days after a relatively quiet period.
In the latest episode, he said there would be “something very wrong with TSE” if he didn’t win in the first round – although there was no indication in the polls that he could lead the competition. , neither in the first round nor in the second round. .
source: Noticias
