Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his concern on Sunday about the US military deployment in the Caribbean and announced that he would speak with his counterpart Donald Trump to avoid a conflict, following Venezuela's accusations about the threat it poses to its sovereignty.
Following the closing of the G20 leaders' summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the president stated he was "very concerned" because "South America is considered a zone of peace," Telesur reported.
“We are a continent that has no nuclear weapons, no atomic bombs, we have nothing. Our goal here is to work to develop and grow. I am very concerned about the military apparatus that the United States has deployed in the Caribbean Sea. I am very worried. And I intend to speak with President Trump about this, because it concerns me,” he stated at a press conference.
Furthermore, he indicated that Brazil "has a responsibility to South America" and reminded everyone that his country shares a border with Venezuela, which "is no small matter." Lula emphasized that "there's no point in having a war now."
The head of state warned that "one shot is all it takes, and who knows how it will end," which is why it's important to find a solution "before it starts." "I'm very worried and I wouldn't want anything military to happen in South America," he reiterated.
Since last August, Washington has maintained a military deployment in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. In its attacks against small boats, which it has accused of having links to drug trafficking without presenting evidence, it has killed more than 80 people.
The military presence of U.S. This includes ships, fighter jets, and special forces, as part of Operation Southern Spear and the supposed fight against drug trafficking. However, governments such as those of Russia, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, have rejected the actions ordered by Trump.
For its part, the Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced the threat posed by this deployment by Washington, both to the country and the region, stating that its objective is a change of government and to seize the nation's oil wealth.
