In a televised campaign advertisement aired on Thursday, the presidential campaign of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of attempting to meddle in Brazil’s upcoming national election. The campaign alleges that Trump is working to sway the vote in favor of Lula’s opponent, Jair Bolsonaro, to further American interests in the region.

The advertisement characterizes these alleged efforts as a form of “colonization,” suggesting that the primary motivation behind the purported interference is to gain control over Brazil’s natural resources. The broadcast comes amid heightened concerns within the Lula campaign regarding the potential impact of foreign influence on the integrity of the electoral process.

While the campaign has framed these actions as a direct threat to Brazilian sovereignty, the report from The Guardian notes that these claims are part of a broader narrative regarding U.S. involvement in South American politics. The campaign’s messaging specifically links the alleged support for Bolsonaro to a strategic desire by Trump to exploit Brazil’s economic assets. As of now, there has been no formal response from the Trump camp or the Bolsonaro campaign regarding these specific allegations of election meddling. The situation highlights the increasing tension surrounding international influence in domestic political contests.