Lula says he barred Trump adviser Beattie from entering Brazil

BRASILIA, March 13 - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday he had barred Donald Trump's adviser Darren Beattie from entering the country, following his request to visit ex-President Jair Bolsonaro in prison.

Beattie, a critic of Brazil's government, was appointed by the U.S. president to a senior advisory role monitoring the South American country last month, suggesting relations between the two nations remain delicate.

"That American guy who said he was coming here to visit Jair Bolsonaro was prohibited from visiting, and I forbade him from coming to Brazil until they release the visa for my health minister," Lula told an event on Friday, without citing Beattie's name.

The U.S. revoked the visa of Brazil's Health Minister Alexandre Padilha in August, as part of a broader move by Washington targeting people the U.S. government alleged to have ties to a Cuban program that sends medical workers overseas. At the time, Padilha called such targeting "unreasonable attacks" on the program mentioned by the U.S.

Brazil's government revoked Beattie's visa, the Foreign Relations Ministry confirmed to Reuters, citing "omission and falsification of relevant information regarding the reason for the visit."

The U.S. embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters reported earlier in the day, citing a source, that Beattie's visa would be revoked.

Lawyers for Bolsonaro had asked the Brazilian Supreme Court to allow Beattie's visit, but Justice Alexandre de Moraes denied it on Thursday.

Bolsonaro, who was a close ally during Trump's first term, is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup against Lula, his successor.

Last year, Trump imposed steep tariffs on Brazilian products as a response to what he called a witch hunt against Bolsonaro. But, months later, Trump appeared to shift his views, calling Lula a "very nice man" and revoking most of the tariffs.

It is unclear if Beattie’s request to visit Bolsonaro signals a new policy shift from the White House, a Brazilian official with knowledge of the Lula administration’s thinking said. REUTERS