Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential campaign has accused Donald Trump of seeking to “colonize” Brazil and gain control over its natural resources by interfering in next month’s presidential election.
The allegation was made in a televised campaign advertisement broadcast on Thursday by Lula’s team, reflecting growing concerns about the potential impact of alleged U.S. interference on the upcoming vote.
The campaign ad claimed that the U.S. president was attempting to influence the election toward Lula’s far-right opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, in order to advance Trump’s strategic interests in the South American nation.
“Flávio Bolsonaro is Trump’s candidate, and what Trump wants is to colonize Brazil, take our riches, steal our future, and leave us behind,” states the female narrator in the one-minute campaign video.
The U.S. State Department has denied any involvement in Brazil’s electoral process, calling such allegations “a baseless lie” in a statement released last month.
On the social media platform X, Lula accused Bolsonaro of intending to hand over Brazil’s natural resources to the United States. “If it’s up to him, Brazil will become a colony again,” the left-wing incumbent president wrote.
With just over a week remaining before the October 4 first-round vote, Lula and Bolsonaro remain closely matched in the polls. Should no candidate secure more than 50% of the vote, a runoff is scheduled for October 25.
Recently, concerns have mounted both within Brazil and internationally regarding Washington’s apparent efforts to sway the election outcome through diplomatic and economic pressure, including the imposition of 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, Lula indirectly criticized perceived U.S. interference, telling delegates: “We will not allow the enemies of democracy—internal or external—to attack the will of the people. Brazilian democracy belongs to Brazilians.”
Earlier this week, dozens of Democratic Party lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, criticizing the Trump administration for what they described as an “apparent effort to interfere with, and potentially undermine” Brazil’s elections through what they termed a “sustained, multifaceted campaign of interference and destabilization in Brazil.”
The narrator in Lula’s campaign ad referenced a series of recent media reports concerning alleged U.S. meddling attempts.
Among these were reports about supposed interference by major technology companies, along with a confidential document submitted to electoral authorities by Brazil’s intelligence agency warning of a “critical level” of risk regarding U.S. intervention. The campaign video also highlighted recent claims about connections between Bolsonaro’s campaign and the conservative donor network Rockbridge, which was co-founded by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance.
Éden Valadares, communications secretary for Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT), explained that the campaign ad aimed to raise awareness among the Brazilian public about what they view as an ideologically driven U.S. influence operation. “We don’t believe it will succeed, but we won’t stand idly by either,” said Valadares.
“President Lula has directed us to mobilize Brazilian society and respond in the streets,” added Valadares, noting plans for nationwide demonstrations this Sunday.
Concerns about U.S. interference extend beyond Brazil’s left-wing circles. Right-wing candidate Renan Santos also voiced concerns this week, stating he opposes Brazil becoming a U.S. vassal state. “They want to influence our elections to secure favorable contracts involving rare earth minerals,” Santos claimed in a social media video.
Referencing the U.S. invasion of Venezuela in January, Santos warned, “I don’t want to see Latin America turned into an American protectorate.”
In their letter to Rubio, Democratic lawmakers wrote that “rather than defending Brazilian democracy, the U.S. is acting as an agent of interference and destabilization—using diplomatic, economic, and political pressure in ways that threaten to weaken democratic institutions, undermine confidence in the electoral process, and damage our relationship with a strategic ally and trading partner.”
The lawmakers asked whether the Trump administration would pledge to respect Brazil’s electoral process and requested a reply by October 1. The State Department has not yet responded to requests for comment.