Given the increasing tensions between the US and Venezuela
Brazil and Mexico have offered to act as mediators. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he was “very concerned” about developments in the region. That’s why he offered US President Donald Trump to mediate between the US government and the Venezuelan government in Caracas “to prevent an armed conflict here in Latin America.”
In the conversation, Lula was opposite Trump then said that the conflict with Venezuela “cannot be solved by force of arms,” as the left-wing Brazilian president told journalists. “It’s better to sit down at a table and talk to each other,” Lula said. Before the conversation with Trump, Lula had already told journalists in the capital Brasília that he had been able to build a good relationship with Trump after initial differences. “Trump has become my friend, a little small talk. Two men aged 80 have no reason to argue.”
Mexico’s president calls for UN intervention
Also of Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum offered to mediate in the conflict. “We will look for a peaceful solution together with all countries in Latin America or on other continents so that it does not become one US intervention is coming,” she said. Sheinbaum had previously warned of “bloodshed” and called for UN intervention. The United Nations has so far been “conspicuously absent” from the conflict, said the Mexican head of state. It is their job to “prevent bloodshed and always strive for a peaceful resolution of conflicts.”
According to diplomatic circles, the UN Security Council is scheduled to meet for an emergency meeting next Tuesday. The reason is a corresponding request from the Venezuelan government, with the support of China and Russia involved the Security Council because of what they saw as increasing US aggression against Venezuela.
China and Russia are in talks with Venezuela
Russia recently called on the US government to show restraint towards Venezuela. It is hoped that the US government will not make a “fatal mistake” and “refrain from slipping further into a situation that could have unforeseeable consequences for the entire Western Hemisphere,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. It called on Washington to “de-escalate” and reiterated its support for Maduro’s government. “Of course, we call on all countries in the region to exercise restraint in order to prevent any unforeseeable development in the situation,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Ji also spoke by telephone with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Wednesday. “China rejects any form of unilateral harassment and supports all countries in defending their sovereignty and national dignity,” the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said following the conversation. Venezuela has “the right to independently establish mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries.” China is the main buyer of Venezuelan oil.
The USA had this in the past few weeks economic and military pressure on the left-wing nationalist Venezuelan government increased under President Nicolás Maduro. Since September, the US Army has attacked boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific several times, killing more than 90 people. The US government also stationed warships off the Venezuelan coast seized an oil tanker. Against “sanctioned” oil tankers US President Trump ordered a naval blockade on those arriving or leaving Venezuela. Trump justifies these steps with the accusation that Maduro is deliberately using drug smugglers against the USA. Critics, however, consider the US military actions to be contrary to international law. Maduro sees the US government’s actions as an attempt to overthrow him and control Venezuelan oil resources.
