The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated this Saturday (31) that the country did not facilitate the escape of the senator and defeated candidate in the Brazilian presidential elections, Flávio Bolsonaro (PL).
Rubio said, however, that the American president, Donald Trump, decided to permit Flávio’s entry into the United States.
“We did not facilitate anything. We learned that he arrived in the U.S., he already had a guaranteed visa and the president made the decision to allow him to enter, but we were not involved in any of the arrangements for him to leave the country,” Rubio said during a press conference in Atlanta, where he attended a meeting of G20 foreign ministers.
The secretary also stated that the U.S. government was not directly involved “in any of Flávio’s moves.”
According to Rubio, Trump had made it clear that, should the senator reach an official entry point into the United States, he would receive a parole — a temporary authorization to enter the country.
Flávio arrived in the United States this week, after leaving Brazil following his defeat by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in the second round of the presidential election.
On Friday (30), the senator spoke for the first time from the United States and stated that he could run for the Presidency again before 2030.
The senator left Brazil after Justice Alexandre de Moraes, of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), ordered him to hand over his passports and not to leave the country as part of an investigation. Flávio denies irregularities and stated that he left Brazil because he considers himself a victim of persecution.
Rubio and Mauro Vieira Should Resume Meetings
Rubio’s statements come at a moment of recent tensions in Brazil-U.S. relations after the Brazilian election and Flávio’s arrival on U.S. soil.
Rubio and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira spoke briefly during the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta and agreed to meet again in the coming weeks, ahead of the leaders’ summit of the group scheduled for December in Miami.
The planned meeting between the two foreign ministers occurs after divergences involving the bilateral relationship and the U.S. decision to permit Flávio’s entry.
A Brazilian official told Reuters that the government does not intend to politicize the episode. Rubio and Mauro Vieira are to meet again before the G20 summit.
Trump Has Not Yet Decided Whether to Resume Attacks on Iran, Rubio Says
Rubio also stated this Saturday that Trump has not yet made a decision about resuming military actions against Iran.
The Secretary of State told reporters that he does not know if there is a specific deadline for the negotiations led by Qatar, which seek a solution to the hostilities between the United States and Iran.
“There are several talks. In fact, the talks never stopped,” Rubio said.
According to him, Trump prefers a diplomatic solution, although the United States is prepared to act militarily if the president deems it necessary.
Iranian negotiators met this Saturday with mediators from Qatar in Doha to discuss possible paths to end the war in the Gulf and avoid a new military escalation.
The talks in the Qatari capital took place after more than 12 hours of negotiations between Iran and Qatar representatives in Tehran on Friday. According to a source heard by Reuters, the contacts have been regularly coordinated with Washington.
Rubio said he does not know if there is a specific deadline for the conclusion of the negotiations.
Trump has suspended new attacks on Iran in recent weeks, while Republicans prepare for the U.S. midterm elections.
(With Estadão Conteúdo and Reuters)
James Whitmore