US funding and interference have played a role in the South American country\u2019s presidential election, the independent journalist has told RT<\/p>\n
The US has sought to influence Brazilian politics for decades, including through the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and has played a role in the country\u2019s current presidential election, independent journalist and geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar has told RT.
\nHe was speaking after Sunday\u2019s first round of voting, in which right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished ahead of incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Both fell short of the 50% threshold needed to win outright. The two are set to face each other in a runoff on October 25.
\nBrazil\u2019s government has previously accused Washington of interference in its internal affairs, while Trump has denounced the prosecution of the former president \u2013 who is serving 27 years for plotting a coup \u2013 as a \u201cwitch hunt.\u201d Brazil\u2019s Federal Police have since opened an investigation into alleged US interference in the election, following a request from the Attorney General\u2019s Office over reported US funding of projects aimed at undermining the country\u2019s Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Americans put a lot of money in this election,\u201d Escobar said, calling for a federal investigation into possible foreign influence.
\nHe singled out Brazil\u2019s influential evangelical churches, claiming that the CIA had spent \u201cdecades\u201d funding efforts to cultivate them and that this was now \u201cpaying off.\u201d
\nEscobar\u2019s remarks come as US involvement in Brazilian politics has already become a point of contention between Brasilia and Washington. Flavio Bolsonaro met US President Donald Trump at the White House in May, while his brother Eduardo has lived in the US since 2025. Eduardo was sentenced by Brazil\u2019s Supreme Court in June to four years and two months in prison for coercion after the court found that he had sought US pressure on Brazilian authorities in an effort to interfere with proceedings against his father.<\/p>\n
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Flavio Bolsonaro leads Lula as Brazil election heads to runoff<\/p>\n
Escobar also claimed that two days before the vote, the CIA already knew Bolsonaro was ahead, even as Brazilian opinion polls showed Lula leading. He attributed Bolsonaro\u2019s strong showing in part to the influence of evangelical voters, who now comprise some 27% of the country\u2019s populations, a historical high from the 15% in 2000.
\nThe runoff is widely seen as a highly polarized contest over Brazil\u2019s political direction. Lula has sought to strengthen the country\u2019s role in BRICS and deepen ties with China and other Global South powers, while Bolsonaro has advocated closer relations with Washington.
\nLula previously served two terms as president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office for a third term in 2023, following the annulment of corruption convictions that had prevented him from running in 2018.
\nA Bolsonaro victory could also have major implications for Brazil\u2019s foreign policy, according to Escobar. He predicted a \u201ccomplete reversal\u201d toward closer alignment with Washington and the Trump administration.
\nSuch a shift could diminish Brazil\u2019s role in BRICS, Escobar argued, saying the country could become a \u201cbystander\u201d within the group. Brazil is a founding member of BRICS alongside Russia, India, and China.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US funding and interference have played a role in the South American country\u2019s presidential election, the independent journalist has told RT The US has sought to influence Brazilian politics for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39388,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t