Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on Tuesday (Jan. 13). According to a statement from the Planalto presidential palace, the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the approval of the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, which should be signed on January 17 in Paraguay. The new treaty, which took 25 years to negotiate, still needs to undergo ratification by the signatory countries.

In his talk with Lula, the prime minister is said to have congratulated the Brazilian president on his efforts to conclude the deal. The two also discussed the need for the new rules to come into force as soon as possible.

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“Both agreed that the decision of the two blocs is a major gesture in defense of multilateralism and free trade, with great political and strategic significance at this historic moment. They agreed to work together quickly and efficiently to implement the agreement so that the populations can see concrete results from the partnership,” the official note reads.

Lula and Montenegro also exchanged views on the situation in Venezuela and highlighted the need to avoid instability in South America.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received a phone call from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday afternoon (Jan. 8). According to the Planalto  presidential palace, the two leaders exchanged views on the situation in Venezuela and its impact on the region.

“Both condemned the use of force without support from the United Nations Charter and international law. Lula stressed that the fate of Venezuela must be decided sovereignly by its people and that South America must remain a zone of peace,” the Planalto said in a statement.

According to the note, the president and prime minister agreed on the need to reform global governance institutions.

Last Saturday (3), a military invasion by the US resulted in the kidnapping of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cília Flores.

During the call, the Canadian accepted Lula’s invitation to visit Brazil in April. Among the topics to be discussed is the progress of a possible trade deal between Mercosur and Canada.

Earlier, President Lula also spoke by phone with Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Mexico

In his conversation with the Mexican leader, Lula also addressed the issue of Venezuela, and both defended multilateralism, repudiated the US military invasion, and challenged the view that attempts to divide the world into spheres of influence of major powers. Lula and Sheinbaum also discussed preparations for a visit by the Mexican leader to Brazil, with no date set yet, and cooperation between the countries in combating violence against women.

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.

The government of the Brazilian state of Roraima reported, in a statement released this Saturday (Jan. 3), that it “is closely monitoring recent events in Venezuela and any repercussions on regional stability, reaffirming its commitment to peace, public order, and the security of the local population.”

According to the text, due to its geographical location, Roraima has historically maintained cooperative relations with neighboring countries, including Venezuela and Guyana.

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“State authorities remain in constant contact with the relevant bodies of the Brazilian government to monitor possible developments that may impact the daily lives of the population. The government of Roraima reinforces the importance of international issues being handled through diplomatic mechanisms and dialogue, avoiding any escalation of conflict that could compromise the stability and well-being of the peoples of the region.”

During the early hours of Saturday, United States armed forces carried out bombings in the capital, Caracas, and other regions of the neighboring country. After the operation, US President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Brazil and Venezuela share a border of more than 2,000 kilometers, and according to Defense Minister José Múcio, the region “is calm, monitored, and open.”

According to the statement, state public security agencies in Roraima are coordinated and maintaining normal operating routines.

Pacaraima

Waldery D’Ávila, the mayor of Pacaraima, a Brazilian municipality that borders Venezuela, expressed “deep concern about the attacks that occurred in the early hours of today in Caracas” and said he was “monitoring the situation and working together with security forces to ensure stability and peace in the border region.”

Federal civil servant Jean Oliveira, 54, who was in the Venezuelan border town of Santa Elena de Uiarén, told reporters that he managed to leave via a clandestine route after the border was closed early in the morning.

“We had to take an alternative route,” Oliveira said. According to him, after reaching the Brazilian side, Venezuelan authorities allowed only Brazilians to cross the border, not Venezuelan citizens. The border crossing from Brazil into Venezuela also remained closed by the neighboring government. Despite some apprehension, the civil servant noted the situation in the region appeared relatively normal.

“I was there this morning, but everything was calm. Only the Brazilians staying at the hotel were apprehensive about the situation. But, in general, we didn’t notice any changes among the local population,” Oliveira added.

Background

The US invasion of Venezuela marks a new episode of direct intervention by Washington in Latin America. The last time the US invaded a Latin American country was in 1989, in Panama, when US military forces captured then-President Manuel Noriega, accusing him of drug trafficking.

Just as in the case of Noriega, the US has accused Maduro - without presenting evidence - of leading an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel known as Los Soles. Experts on international drug trafficking question the very existence of the group.

The US government had offered a reward of USD 50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

For critics, the move is a geopolitical strategy aimed at distancing Venezuela from US global rivals such as China and Russia, while also seeking greater control over the country’s oil reserves, the largest proven reserves in the world.