MPs and union leaders say no to US interference in Brazil’s election

Parliamentarians, trade union leaders, peace and social justice campaigners have signed the following statement against US interference in Brazil’s presidential election, and in support of the Brazilian social movements working for a more equal and just society, ahead of the election this Sunday.

On Sunday 25th October, Brazilians vote in a crucial run-off election between progressive President Lula and far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was jailed for his role in attempting a coup to overturn the 2022 election result.

The election will shape the future not only of Brazil but of wider Latin America, where far-right forces backed by Washington have made huge inroads in recent years as Trump seeks greater influence over the region and, especially, its rare earth minerals, which are essential for advanced technologies and AI.

The first-round results and subsequent opinion polls indicate an incredibly close contest.

We believe it is for the Brazilian people alone to decide their country’s future, free from outside interference.

So we are deeply alarmed that the Trump administration has made clear its support for the Bolsonaro movement and has been intervening in Brazilian politics in the run-up to the election.

This has involved economic and diplomatic pressure, including the imposition of punitive tariffs on Brazilian goods explicitly linked to political goals, Trump holding a White House meeting with Flávio Bolsonaro, and reported US funding for groups seeking to undermine Brazilian institutions.

There are also mounting concerns about the role of interference by US-based tech platforms in the election, including suppression of pro-Lula content and online political adverts funded from the US in breach of Brazilian electoral law.

All this led 31 members of the US Congress to recently express alarm at the scale of US interference and destabilisation in Brazil.

Brazilian social movements and trade unions have warned that a victory for Flávio Bolsonaro would pose a threat to the social progress achieved in recent years, a danger to the Amazon, to the rights of Brazil’s large black population and other minorities, and even to democracy itself.

We oppose all US interference in Brazil’s election and stand in solidarity with the Brazilian people, their democratic rights and the social movements working for a more equal and just society.

Richard Burgon MP,  Chair of the Brazil Solidarity Initiative

Christine Blower, Member of the House of Lords

John Hendy KC, Member of the House of Lords

Tony Woodley, Member of the House of Lords

Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary, TSSA

Luke Daniel, President, Caribbean Labour Solidarity

Dr Francisco Dominguez, Co-author, Right-Wing Politics in the New Latin America

Sabby Dhalu, Co-Convenor, Stand up to Racism

Lindsey German, Convenor, Stop the War Coalition

Pablo Navarrete, Founding Editor, Alborada

Tim Young, Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America.

This statement was organised by the Brazil Solidarity Initiative and can also be viewed here.