Brazil: US Diplomats Assure Swift Recognition of Election Winner Amid Fears of Jair Bolsonaro Pulling Donald Trump Move
In Brazil, fears that current President Jair Bolsonaro will pull a Donald Trump-style insurrection if ever he loses is real. This makes it complicated as the current frontrunner is the leftist candidate and former President Lula. Polls in Brazil currently have him enjoying a rather comfortable lead against the far-right current president.
In just a few days, Brazilians will be voting for the first round of the elections on October 2, 2022. However, critics of the administration have stated their fears that Bolsonaro may not recognize the results and pull a coup.
However, according to Reuters, Lula has been talking to the United States and American diplomats, including the top American diplomat in Brazil, Douglass Koneff, have assured the frontrunner that the United States will quickly recognize whoever wins, either in the first round or the October 30 run-off elections.
Latin American, Caribbean, and the European Countries Also Plan to Immediately Recognize Results
Lula himself has stated that Washington plans to immediately recognize the results, regardless of who wins. This will set an example for other nations and minimize the chance of a contested result.
Other countries have also assured Lula's camp that they will swiftly recognize the winner of the Brazilian presidential elections as well. Lula foreign policy adviser Celso Amorim stated that diplomats from Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as many European countries, have assured him of swift recognition of the results.
READ MORE: Brazil Elections: Jair Bolsonaro Continues to Sow Doubts on Election as He Lags in Polls
United States Warns Jair Bolsonaro Not to Pull a Donald Trump
As for the United States, it had been growing concerned with Bolsonaro's baseless allegations of electoral fraud.
U.S. President Joe Biden has had experience with sitting presidents refusing to accept defeat and planning a coup to overturn the results, as the same thing happened to him when he defeated former President Donald Trump. The Biden administration has already sent multiple delegations to Brasilia to urge Bolsonaro to commit to democratic norms.
According to Common Dreams, Bolsonaro's posturing and baseless allegations of election fraud have also concerned U.S. lawmakers. One of them is Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). He, alongside Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and other Senate Democrats, have filed a Senate Resolution on Brazil's elections.
Sanders stated that the resolution does not take sides in the Brazilian election, as that would be unacceptable. However, the resolution makes it clear that the continuing relationship between the United States and Brazil depends on the commitment of Brazil's government to democracy and human rights, according to the Washington Post.
Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin (Md.), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), and Sara Jacobs (Calif.). also filed a companion resolution.
This posturing from the United States is a direct message to Bolsonaro, who previously tried telling diplomats that the elections in Brazil will be stolen because the electoral committee, led by Supreme Court judges, is siding with Lula. However, journalists have pointed out that despite his accusations, Bolsonaro has never presented any solid evidence to back his claims.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: 'There's something strange going on': Some fear a coup in Brazil - CNN
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