KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Brazil has issued a stark warning that any US military intervention in Venezuela could trigger widespread unrest and political radicalization across South America. The concern comes as the US escalates its naval presence and strikes in the Caribbean, and as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva prepares for a possible, yet unconfirmed, meeting with President Donald Trump this weekend.
Celso Amorim, a former foreign minister and key foreign policy aide to President Lula, told AFP that Brazil is deeply worried about the tense military standoff between Washington and Caracas.
‘A Threat of Outside Intervention’
Amorim expressed strong disapproval of the US naval forces destroying vessels off Venezuela’s coast, a military operation that Washington claims is targeting drug smugglers.
“Brazil is clearly worried about the threat of the use of force or the threat of covert methods like those of the CIA to topple governments in the region. We do not want upheaval in our region,” Amorim stated.
He called the attacks, which have reportedly killed at least 43 people, “a threat of outside intervention,” noting, “I do not know if they were drug traffickers but there is no evidence that they were. It is very dangerous.”
Opposition to Regime Change
Brazil’s opposition to any US action aimed at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is absolute. Amorim warned that foreign intervention would have profound consequences for the continent.
“Brazil is clearly opposed to outside intervention. The issue of who governs Venezuela is only for the Venezuelan people to decide. We cannot accept an outside intervention because it will trigger immense resentment. For Brazil and Colombia, it could create specific problems involving refugees. It could inflame South America and lead to radicalisation of politics on the whole continent.”
Lula-Trump Meeting Focus
Lula and Trump may meet Sunday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
While regional tensions are on Brazil’s mind, the meeting is primarily expected to focus on trade, specifically the 50 percent tariffs Trump imposed on Brazilian imports. These punitive tariffs were ostensibly a response to Brazil’s prosecution of Trump’s ally, former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, who was recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
When asked if Lula would address the strikes with Trump, Amorim said it would depend on the flow of the discussion: “That depends on how the conversation develops, if there is receptivity on this issue.”
Despite the recent political tensions, Amorim believes the resumption of dialogue stems from “common sense on both sides,” with both leaders aiming to maintain a positive conversation and seek agreement on economic and trade issues.
