At the end of the meeting with Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro in Brasilia, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared that “relations between the two countries have been fully recovered”and he said it in Venezuela “There is democracy.”
“I am happy to meet Maduro again. The recovery of our relations is complete, not just commercial”Lula said in a press conference Lula explained that he had “discussed a lot with his fellow European Social Democrats, explaining that it was absurd that the president-elect should be denied recognition”, and instead they gave their support to Juan Guaidó.
Lula described as “narratives” accusations of dictatorship in the country. “Maduro knows the narrative that they have been building against Venezuela for so long,” said the Brazilian president and recalled the campaign of former foreign minister Celso Amorim, who “went all over the world explaining to people that he was not what people said what it was.”
The presidents of Brazil and Venezuela met this Monday in Brasilia to seal the normalization of their relations after years of hostility.
Lula said it is a “Historic moment” for both countries in a press conference he held together with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro after a bilateral meeting held at the Planalto Palace.
Against Bolsonaro
“After eight years, President Maduro returns to visit Brazil and we recover the right to conduct our foreign policy with the seriousness we have always had, especially with the countries that border Brazil,” Lula said.
The president attributed to political mistakes occurred during the administration of his predecessor, the far-right Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), the distance between the two countries conspiring against their trade relations.
The bilateral meeting took place the day before a summit of South American leaders that aims to strengthen regional integration.
Maduro underlined for his part that “an open and permanent dialogue” has been re-established and that his country is prepared resume “virtuous relationships” with the businessmen of Brazil after the period from there “all the doors and windows were closed, being neighboring countries”.
The two presidents reviewed progress in the process of normalizing bilateral relations that began on January 1, when the leader of the Brazilian left assumed the presidency for the third time, which included the reopening of their respective embassies and consulates.
against the United States
Lula defended Maduro’s populist government against applications received from the European Union and the United States.
“The United States has made an extremely exaggerated blockade (against Venezuela). I always think that a blockade is worse than a war”said the Brazilian president.
“I fought a lot…because for me it was so absurd that people who defend democracy deny you as president of Venezuela, elected by Venezuelans,” he said addressing his host in Planalto.
According to Lula, the prejudice against Venezuela is “very big” and continues to exist.
Both presidents addressed border security, with an emphasis on increasing cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and other crimes.
Maduro said Lula proposed holding a short-term meeting of defense ministers to establish new protocols to protect the population from all kinds of crime at the border. “We have to take back something that never in life should have been broken.”
The Brazilian stressed in this regard that Unasur already had a mechanism which, in his view, was successful. “We must have our armed forces always unitedalways working together and always preparing to guarantee the sovereignty of each of our countries”.
Both also supported the reactivation of trade relations.
Bilateral trade reached about $1.7 billion in 2022, with Brazilian exports of about $1.3 billion and imports of nearly $400 million.
Lula he stressed that Brazilian companies want to reinvest in the neighboring country and which will be part of a full integration that also includes the resumption of the energy relationship with Venezuela.
In this regard, he stressed that “our Energy Minister will speak with the Energy Minister of Venezuela and I hope they will call us as soon as possible” to advance the purchase of energy from the neighboring country.
Lula also welcomed Maduro’s wish for his country to be part of the BRICS group, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Maduro has indicated in this sense that Venezuela wants to accompany in the “construction of this new architecture, of this new world geopolitics”.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.