The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this Saturday (25) the government’s refusal to authorize visas for two North American officials: the Undersecretary of the State Department for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Riley Barnes, and the Assistant Undersecretary Samuel Samson.
The visas were denied on Friday (24).
The Brazilian government became aware of the US State Department’s interest in sending two employees to Brazil. They wanted to talk to election officials to discuss freedom of expression related to the October elections.
It caught the attention of Brazilian authorities that the visa request came following an event in which Brazilian politicians met with diplomats to raise suspicions about electronic voting machines. The government considered the visit in this electoral context to be a political instrument and decided to deny the visas.
The questioning of electronic voting machines once again gained prominence after the pre-candidate for the presidency of the Republic, Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), released false information about Brazilian voting machines.
He stated this Monday (21), during the event with diplomats in Brasília, that the Brazilian equipment would be from the Venezuelan company Smartmatic – without presenting any evidence.
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) denied, this Wednesday (22), the information that the Venezuelan company Smartmatic supplied electronic voting machines or software used in electoral equipment in Brazil. According to the court, Brazilian ballot boxes were designed by civil servants and technicians working for the Electoral Court. Furthermore, they are produced under “direct coordination” of TSE employees by companies selected through public tenders with broad competition, “which guarantees even greater security and transparency to the electoral process”.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
