Lula blocks ambassador meetings ahead of Brazil election

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he will not receive any foreign ambassadors until after Brazil's presidential election, saying the move is meant to prevent any perception of foreign interference in the October 4 vote.

Speaking during an internet podcast, Lula said he had instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to suspend meetings with ambassadors until after the election.

"I told Minister Mauro: 'From now until the election, I will not receive any other ambassadors. Only after the election will I receive an ambassador from any country in the world,'" the president said.

Lula also pointed to the absence of a US ambassador in Brazil, noting that the position has remained vacant for about a year and a half. He said tensions grew after Brazil refused entry to US officials whom the government said wanted to question the country's electoral system.

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"The United States have been in power for a year and a half and hasn't sent anyone here. Then they try to send someone and think we are obliged to set the date they want. That's not right. No one should think they can interfere from the outside to influence our elections," Lula emphasised.

During the interview, Lula also said his political career is driven by purpose rather than elections.

"I am not in politics to contest an election. The election is simply the result of a goal I set for my life. For me, politics is a cause," the president said.

Brazil will hold the first round of its presidential election on October 4, 2026. Lula is seeking re-election, with recent polls identifying Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, as his main challenger.