Brazil revokes U.S. official Darren Beattie’s visa in reciprocal measure

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday (March 13, 2026) his government revoked the visa of a U.S. State Department official, calling it a reciprocal measure after Brazilian officials had their visas revoked in the United States last year.

Mr. Lula’s decision against Darren Beattie is tied to a move in August by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that revoked and restricted visas of some Brazilian officials who Washington claimed to have links to a Cuban programme that sends doctors overseas.

On Thursday (March 12, 2026), Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes denied Mr. Beattie access to the Brasilia prison where former President Jair Bolsonaro is jailed.

“That American fellow who said he had come here to visit Jair Bolsonaro was forbidden to do so,” Mr. Lula said, adding that he will be blocked from Brazil until the visas for Brazil’s Health Minister and his family are reinstated.

Mr. Moraes, who sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for leading a coup attempt in 2023, said in his ruling that Mr. Beattie had requested a visa to attend the Brazil-U.S. Critical Minerals Forum in Sao Paulo on Wednesday (March 18, 2026).

The ruling mentions the Brazilian foreign office’s view that Mr. Beattie’s visit to Jair Bolsonaro could represent “undue interference.” The 80-year-old Lula is running for reelection later this year, with Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, one of the sons of the far-right leader, expected to be his main opponent in his bid for a fourth term.

A Brazilian government official told The Associated Press on Friday (March 13, 2026) that Mr. Beattie’s visa was revoked because of “the omission of information and lies about the purpose of the visit upon his visa request.” The official spoke under condition of anonymity for lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly. The White House did not comment on Mr. Lula’s decision or the Brazilian Supreme Court ruling.

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Mr. Beattie’s profile in the State Department’s website says he joined “from the private sector, where he worked as a media entrepreneur and political strategist.” It said he has served in government as a White House speechwriter and policy aide.