“This week we had to deny visas to two young folks they were sending to Brazil to meddle in Brazil’s elections,” said Lula. They planned to meet with government officials and religious leaders about election integrity, religious freedom, and freedom of expression. With Jair unable to run, his son Flávio is carrying the torch of his father’s movement into October’s election against Lula. All of this establishes that, yes, the Trump administration likely does have a preferred candidate in Brazil’s presidential election. None of it establishes that the American diplomats intended to manufacture allegations of fraud or interfere with the administration of Brazil’s election.