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When Alexandre Padilha's father urgently required help, the US took him in.

This occurred in 1971, the height of Brazil's harsh two-decade authoritarian rule, and his father Padilha, a young Methodist advocate, had been compelled to escape his nation after spending 11 months in one of São Paulo's most infamous detention facilities.

Smuggled out of the country by a religious organization to prevent being killed, he made for Uruguay and Chile before finally escaping to the US. “In America, he was able to live the liberty he could not enjoy in Brazil,” stated his son, Alexandre Padilha, who was born after his parent's exit and only saw him eight years later when the situation in Brazil began to improve.

I’d want to understand what threat my 10-year-old daughter poses to the government of the United States

Last month, she and her parent were stripped of their US visas as the American government targeted people tied to Brazil’s government and judiciary as part of failed efforts to help former leader Jair Bolsonaro escape justice for masterminding a 2022 power grab.

“I’d like to understand what danger my 10-year-old daughter represents to the government of the United States … which implies she cannot travel to the US,” remarked Alexandre Padilha, who is Brazil’s top health official and a prominent supporter of its progressive president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Commenting on the matter, Padilha denounced the decision to target his child as an “shocking absurdity” and a “political abuse”.

Prior to Bolsonaro’s court case, US authorities enacted sanctions on prominent Brazilian justices; revoked the visas of several of Brazil’s 11 highest court judges; and ordered trade duties on Brazilian goods.

Following Bolsonaro’s sentencing, a American representative hinted the US would additionally punish Brazil and “respond appropriately to this unjust process”.

Recently, it was announced that the visas of two government officials participating in creating Brazil’s More Doctors public health initiative had been revoked, purportedly because of the program's employment of Cuban doctors.

The minister thought he had escaped having revoked his visa because it had already lapsed. He has yet to been issued a visa for next week’s UN general assembly in New York.

American authorities asserted the individuals were targeted because the Brazilian initiative – which has provided medical services to isolated regions – had helped enrich “the corrupt regime” and deprived their own people of essential medical care.

However Padilha, who clarified Cuban doctors were no longer participating in a program he attributed with saving countless of lives, felt that was a false justification.

Actually, the official claimed the decision to target people connected to the health initiative – including, indirectly, his daughter – was a reflection of a dual assault on healthcare and democracy.

The US administration's effort to pressure Brazil's president into “meddling” in Brazil’s independent legal system over Bolsonaro’s case was an authoritarian affront. “None of this will deter us,” Padilha vowed. “[We will not] give up on protecting our democracy.”

Attacking international health means attacking the well-being of your own people too.

At the same time, the minister believed the focus of the Brazilian medical project was a manifestation of a leader who had launched a sustained assault on public health and research – in the US and around the world – since returning to power.

“From the start of the current administration, there has been a series of attacks on health in the US and worldwide health,” Padilha said, pointing out how funding for the development of advanced immunizations had been cut, public health officials dismissed, and agencies restructured.

“Scientists have been targeted, funding for universities slashed … and intentions to withdraw from the WHO.”

“Ninety per cent of the organization's operations in Africa were funded with the US’s voluntary donation – and this was cut,” explained Padilha, an infectious diseases specialist.

“It will affect Africa, which is extremely concerning in itself, but it will also affect the entire globe … Attacking international health means attacking the health of your very people too.

“That’s why I say we view these measures [against my family] as an astonishing absurdity but also as having a certain consistency with the additional outrageous absurdities the president of the US has committed.”

Padilha stated his parent was confused by the “inconceivable” US action to punish his granddaughter. “I did not expect the country that provided me shelter, that saved my life … handling my granddaughter so outrageously,” he quoted the 85-year-old man as saying.

But the minister suggested the hostile health approach could prove an chance for his country. While the US reduced funding in mRNA vaccines, the Brazilian government was pumping significant sums of dollars into medical institutions, which are pushing ahead with the creation of such life-saving vaccines.

“Come to Brazil,” was Padilha’s invitation to US-based scientists and biomedical firms who were under the cosh because of the “uncertainty” during the current US government.

“It's been said that Brazil has managed to bring an foreign manager to lead the Brazilian football team. Currently we’re attracting many experts to relocate and do their studies in Brazil,” added Padilha, who mentioned authorities had already detected an influx of professionals from the US.

“Contracts with American companies have been ended … and we’re going to attract them to put resources here in Brazil.”

A spokesperson for the US diplomatic mission refused to respond on why the visas of Padilha’s daughter and wife had been revoked.