Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro asked President Joe Biden for help in his reelection bid during a private meeting on the sidelines of a regional summit this week, portraying his leftist opponent as a danger to U.S. interests, according to people familiar with the matter.
During the meeting on Thursday, Biden underlined the importance of preserving the integrity of Brazil’s democratic electoral process, and when Bolsonaro asked for help, Biden moved to change the subject, one of the people said. Bolsonaro’s comments to Biden about his rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, echoed his public warnings about the two-term former president, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation.
The press office of Brazil’s presidency didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, while the White House press office declined to immediately comment.
