Lula Spoke with Maduro Last Week About U.S. Military Escalation - Folha de S.Paulo

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) spoke by phone last week with Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, to discuss the United States’ military escalation against the neighboring country. The call, the first between the two since last year’s Venezuelan election, aimed to rebuild bridges with Chavismo and restore mutual trust. The move is seen as important should Brazil be called upon to mediate the crisis between Maduro’s regime and U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. pressure has taken the form of the deployment of several warships in the Caribbean, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. In addition, the United States recently seized an oil tanker in waters near Venezuela and imposed sanctions on six other vessels exporting Venezuelan oil. Crude oil, Caracas’s main source of revenue, has been the central focus, and the seizure of the tanker marked Washington’s first direct interference in this sector. In response, Maduro described the action as an "act of international piracy."

Lula also spoke by phone with Trump last week, arguing that a U.S. military operation to remove Maduro would have negative consequences for the region, including an increase in refugees and the strengthening of criminal groups. The Brazilian president defended diplomacy, saying he believes "more in the power of words than in the power of weapons."