President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received a phone call from Colombian President Gustavo Petro on the afternoon of Thursday (Jan. 8), the Planalto presidential palace reported. The conversation focused on the situation in Venezuela, which was the target of a US military invasion last Saturday (Jan. 3), resulting in the kidnapping of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

“Both leaders expressed great concern about the use of force against a South American country, in violation of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the sovereignty of Venezuela, and stressed that such actions constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for regional peace and security and for the international order,” the Planalto highlighted in a statement.

During the call, Lula and Petro welcomed the announcement by Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez regarding the release of national and foreign prisoners detained in the country.

President Lula informed Petro that, at Venezuela’s request, he had ordered the shipment of 40 tons of supplies and medicines, out of a total of 300 tons already collected, to replenish stocks of dialysis products and solutions at a supply center hit by US bombings on Saturday.

Brazil and Colombia share the longest land borders with Venezuela, each extending over 2 000 kilometers.

The Colombian leader spoke yesterday (7) with US President Donald Trump, following threats and unfounded accusations made by the American leader against Petro.

Unions and social movements held a demonstration on Monday afternoon (Jan. 5) in São Paulo, demanding the release of Nicolás Maduro. The protest took place in front of the United States Consulate.

Participants advocated for the autonomy of the neighboring country, the pursuit of peace, and respect and solidarity with the Venezuelan government and its people.

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“We came to this rally today not only to demonstrate our solidarity with the Venezuelan people, but also to express the position of working-class students regarding imperialist attacks, especially those by the United States. Imperialism, regardless of the country, seeks to dominate nations, particularly those on the periphery of capitalism,” said student Bianca Mondeja, a member of the leadership of the National Union of Students (UNE).

The student organization considers a people’s “capacity for self-determination” to be “non-negotiable.”

For Professor Luana Bife, who is affiliated with the Unified Workers’ Central (CUT), the United States’ action against Venezuela constitutes “interference that destabilizes a country socially and economically.” She warned that, just one day after the invasion of Venezuela, Trump was already reiterating the possibility of military action against other countries. “Our central position is the self-determination of peoples,” she reaffirmed.

Gilmar Mauro, a member of the National Coordination of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), called for the immediate release of President Maduro. “We are here in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, in defense of sovereignty, and demanding the immediate release of President Maduro. In truth, it is the continent and democracies around the world that are under threat,” he emphasized.

Mauro said there are about 60 MST members in Venezuela today and that, among the movement’s members, there is a perception of a resurgence in popular mobilizations in the country.

“For many people who are not with us in the streets, this has generated indignation and a patriotic sentiment that is effectively surfacing at this moment. This is happening even within Venezuela, including among sectors of the Venezuelan right, and we are witnessing this within the United States as well,” he stated.