Brazilian president claims Carney condemned U.S. force in Venezuela
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva claims Prime Minister Mark Carney privately agreed to condemn American “force in Venezuela” during a Friday phone call.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva claims Prime Minister Mark Carney privately agreed to condemn American “force in Venezuela” during a Friday phone call. The position alleged by Brazil’s president was not reflected in Canada’s official readout of the conversation.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the use of U.S. force in Venezuela during a bilateral discussion.
In a statement posted on X translated from Portuguese, Lula said the two leaders “condemned the use of force without support in the United Nations Charter and international law” while discussing the situation in Venezuela and its regional implications. Lula added that he emphasized Venezuela’s future must be decided “sovereignly by its people” and that South America should remain “a zone of peace.”
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) offered a contrasting summary, saying Carney and Lula discussed Venezuela and “affirmed their support for a peaceful, negotiated, and Venezuelan-led transition process that respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people.”
The PMO readout said the leaders emphasized the need for all parties to uphold international law and sovereignty, but did not explicitly reference condemning the use of force or the United States’ role in the removal of Nicolás Maduro.
The differing summaries highlight a contrast in emphasis between Ottawa and Brasília following the U.S. operation that led to Maduro’s arrest earlier this month.
Lula has been outspoken in criticizing the U.S. action, arguing it lacked legal justification under the UN Charter and warning that military intervention risks destabilizing the region. Carney, speaking earlier this week in Paris, welcomed the removal of what he called an illegitimate and corrupt Venezuelan regime, while urging that any transition occur peacefully.
In his statement, Lula also said the two leaders agreed on the need to reform global governance institutions and discussed strengthening bilateral ties. He said he invited Carney to visit Brazil in April, an invitation Carney accepted.
According to Lula, Carney expressed a strong interest in accelerating negotiations toward a trade agreement between Canada and the Mercosur bloc. The PMO statement did not mention trade talks or a planned visit.
Lula, Petro and Cuba’s leaders all Marxists expressing solidarity with Venezuela’s dictator. Carney isn’t much different.
Carnage will say whatever he believes his audience wants to hear. His message swings with the wind and is just as weightless.