Secretary of State Marco Rubio was right to grant a visa to Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and his family. As President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, grows increasingly vindictive and authoritarian, the United States should make clear that political persecution has adverse consequences. Supporting freedom and democracy in Latin America means standing behind those whose right to challenge the government is under threat. Offering protection to an opposition leader in the region’s biggest and most populous nation upholds America’s principles and serves its strategic interests.
Bolsonaro and his family arrived in the U.S. this week after his defeat in the Oct. 25 election. His relocation was well timed, for following that close result, Brazilian prosecutors moved quickly to seize Bolsonaro’s passport. They say the conservative politician is under investigation for money laundering and is a flight risk.
