Brazil’s health minister skips trip to UN assembly due to visa limitations from Trump administration

SAO PAULO AP Brazil s healthcare minister stated on Friday he will not attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week because the United States establishment gave him an unacceptable visa with mobility restrictions within the country Alexandre Padilha one of the closest aides to President Luiz In cio Lula da Silva disclosed in a declaration he will stay in Brazil due to unfounded and arbitrary limitations to Brazil s diplomatic exercise from the U S executive The two countries have been at odds since President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Brazilian exports in connection with the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro who was sentenced to years in prison by the country s Supreme Court for leading a coup attempt Earlier two Brazilian regime officers stated The Associated Press the Lula administration had protested to the United Nations after Padilha received a much-delayed U S visa that limits his movement in New York to the U N headquarters and a sparse blocks close to his hotel Brazil s cabinet also reported in a letter to U N Secretary-General Ant nio Guterres it is concerned the Trump administration may deny revoke or restrict visas to other leaders expected to attend the assembly The Brazilian sources spoke under condition of anonymity due to their lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly Brazil argued the move by the U S administration violates article of the U N charter and the convention about privileges and immunities that guarantee no restrictions for immigration and movement of executive agents The Lula administration also revealed in its letter to Guterres that U N resolution states that the host country has a legal obligation to assure every delegation has unlimited access regardless of their political affiliations Neither the U N nor the U S governing body responded a request for comment from the AP Padilha was initially scheduled to passage to Washington for other meetings His U S visa expired in August In June his wife and -year-old daughter had their U S visas revoked in connection with Trump s decision to impose visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign administration functionaries involved in Cuba s curative missions Brazil had a campaign that hired thousands of Cuban doctors during the presidency of Dilma Rousseff - who also had Padilha as her healthcare minister Speaking to TV GloboNews Padilha explained Brazil s international exercises will continue They might stop the minister from being present but the defense of science vaccines will go forward the Brazilian robustness minister revealed This U S president will not be able to stop it On Sunday Lula reported in a New York Times op-ed that his leadership is open to negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits but added Brazil s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table Lula explained he was proud of the Supreme Court for its historic decision which safeguards Brazil s institutions and the democratic rule of law Bolsonaro s trial he added is not a witch hunt as Donald Trump described it when he declared higher tariffs on Brazilian goods The U S executive has also sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes who oversaw the Bolsonaro trial The U S Treasury Department cited the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act which targets perpetrators of human rights abuse and corrupt representatives as its authority to issue the sanctions The decision orders the freezing of any assets or property de Moraes may have in the U S Follow AP s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https apnews com hub latin-america Source