Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and former Foreign Minister Celso Amorim met on Tuesday morning (24) with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. The meeting took place at the Palacio de Miraflores, the seat of the Venezuelan government. The meeting occurs at a time of diplomatic tension between Brazil and Venezuela, after the Maduro government blocked the candidacy of the main right-wing adversary, María Corina Machado, in the presidential elections scheduled for July.
During the meeting, Lula delivered to Maduro a letter from the Brazilian government containing demands related to the Venezuelan electoral process. The Brazilian president asked that Venezuela guarantee democratic conditions for the elections. The Itamaraty palace stated that the letter reinforces the importance that the electoral process in Venezuela be transparent and inclusive.
María Corina Machado was prevented from running in the elections by the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice, which confirmed the ineligibility imposed by the National Electoral Council. The decision was made after appeals submitted by the Maduro government. The Venezuelan opposition classified the measure as an attempt at electoral fraud.
The Brazilian government has sought to maintain a balanced position regarding Venezuela, avoiding direct confrontation with Maduro, but at the same time defending democratic principles. The situation generates controversy in Brazil's internal political scenario, with critics pointing out that the Lula government should adopt a firmer stance regarding democratic violations in Venezuela.
