US & Australia suspend consular services in Brazil ahead of pres. poll

Citing security concerns, the US suspended consular services in Brazil prompting Australia to also close its embassy two days before the country's presidential election, fuelling an already uneasy environment ahead of the high-stakes vote.

The US State Department did not elaborate on the security issues or link them to Sunday's election.

A department spokesperson said it is working closely with its Brazilian counterparts to address the security concerns. The department did not say when the consular services would resume.

Australia's ambassador to Brazil, Sophie Davies, said the Australian embassy in Brasilia would also be closed due to security concerns, citing the alert issued by the US and advising Australians to avoid US embassies and consulates in Brazil.

The State Department made the announcement at a tense moment for US-Brazil relations.

Brazilians will vote on Sunday in a race that will determine whether Latin America's largest nation follows the conservative shift that US President Donald Trump has often cheered on from Washington.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his allies have warned of foreign interference in the election, pointing to tariffs and an effort by Washington to send officials to Brazil to "discuss electoral integrity."

Though he has publicly praised Lula's main right-wing opponent Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup, Trump has not formally endorsed a candidate.

The US State Department has rejected claims of election meddling, but the issue has hovered over the race.

The election will be vital for the future of the Amazon rainforest.

Under Jair Bolsonaro's presidency, from 2019 to 2022, Amazon deforestation surged by about 60%, with over 45,000 square kilometres cleared, according to official data.

Under Lula, deforestation has fallen 45%, reaching its lowest level in more than a decade.

Flavio Bolsonaro has pledged to end illegal deforestation by 2029, a year ahead of Brazil's current target.

Lula's goal goes further: zero net deforestation by 2030, meaning any forest loss, legal or illegal, would have to be offset through restoration.

Deforestation and other land-use changes are Brazil's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, which drive global warming.

The Amazon stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide and generates atmospheric moisture that helps regulate weather far beyond South America.