In an article in the NYT, Lula criticizes US action in Venezuela: “the hemisphere belongs to us”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva published this Sunday (18) an article in the newspaper The New York Times in which he condemns the United States military operation in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, which took place on January 3. For Lula, the action represents a serious threat to international order and regional stability, in addition to highlighting what he describes as the “continuous erosion” of multilateral norms established after the Second World War.
In the text, Lula indicates that the recurrent use of force has been weakening the authority of the United Nations (UN) and its Security Council. The president states that, when the use of force stops being the exception and becomes the rule, “global peace, security and stability are threatened”. He also criticizes the selective respect for international norms, which, according to him, generates a scenario of anomie and weakens the international system as a whole.
Lula also makes direct references to the rhetoric adopted by the United States government. In response to Washington’s official speech — which justified the operation by stating “this is our hemisphere” — the Brazilian president titled his article “This hemisphere belongs to all of us”.
According to Lula, the North American intervention in Venezuela represents a negative historical milestone: it would be the first time, in more than 200 years of independence, that South America has suffered a direct military attack from the United States. The president states that such practices bring violence and instability to a region that has historically sought peace through dialogue and cooperation.
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In contrast to his first governments, which took place in the so-called ‘pink wave’, the PT member sees countries in the region take a turn and leaders in this political field become a model for opponents in the middle of an election year
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In the message, Lula also thanked the praise given to him by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
The Brazilian leader recognizes that heads of state can be held responsible for actions that violate democracy and fundamental rights — but emphasizes that this responsibility cannot occur through unilateral actions carried out by other countries. For him, initiatives of this type “interrupt trade, increase the flow of refugees and weaken the capacity of States to confront organized crime and other transnational challenges”.
Regarding the Venezuelan situation, Lula reinforces that the country’s future must remain “in the hands of its own people” and argues that only an inclusive and internally led political process can lead to a democratic and sustainable solution. The president also states that Brazil will continue to cooperate with Venezuela to guarantee border security and conditions for the safe return of displaced Venezuelans.
At the end of the article, Lula mentions that his government maintains a constructive dialogue with the United States and argues that Brazil and the USA — the two largest democracies on the continent — must join forces in areas such as investment, trade and combating organized crime to face common challenges in the hemisphere.
