BRAZIL’S Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it has denied visas to two United States State Department officials who had sought to travel to the South American nation next week, in the latest political spat between the two countries.

The decision became public after The Washington Post reported accusations by Brasilia that Riley M Barnes, a US assistant secretary and Samuel Samson, a deputy assistant, wanted to cast doubt on October’s Brazilian elections.

A spokesperson for Brazil’s Foreign Office said Mr Barnes and Mr Samson requested visas on July 20, which were were denied on Friday. He did not disclose the reasons behind the decision.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be bidding for re-election this autumn against far-right Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

Senator Bolsonaro and his brother, Eduardo, visited US officials in Washington, including US President Donald Trump, in late May. Shortly afterward, the Trump administration classified Brazil’s biggest drug-trafficking groups, First Command Capital and Red Command, as foreign terrorist organisations, a move Lula opposes.

The Trump administration also imposed an up to 37.5 per cent tariff hike on thousands of Brazilian exports. The US government claims Brazil has unfair competition practices.

Lula has slammed both accusations as crude attempts to sway the election to Senator Bolsonaro.