The United States has revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador, a State Department official said, in a mounting diplomatic row just months before elections in Latin America’s largest nation.

The move would be reversed, the official said on customary condition of anonymity, if Brazil granted its approval of President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador Brasilia. Trump nominated Daniel Perez, a prominent Florida Republican, as the new ambassador to Brazil in early June.

While the nomination still requires confirmation by the US Senate, he would not be able to take up the post until Brazil gives approval. “We think the government of Brazil owes us a prompt and positive answer to our request,” the official said.

Brazil’s envoy, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, was however not being declared persona non grata and forced to leave the United States, the official clarified.

Brasilia responded swiftly and condemned the US move as an escalation of a diplomatic standoff. “Today’s decision is not an isolated incident. It is part of a deliberate escalation of hostile measures against Brazil, motivated by ideological reasons,” the office of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a statement.

The latest spat comes just months before Brazil holds a presidential election in October, with leftist incumbent Lula facing a challenge from right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro.

Brazil also recently denied visas for two US officials who sought to meet with election authorities last month, a Brazilian diplomatic source said, citing the “risk of political exploitation.” (AFP)