Brazil’s President has advocated for a peaceful resolution to prevent a potential conflict.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated that Brazil is “profoundly concerned” by the American military presence close to Venezuela, emphasizing the need to find a solution “before a conflict erupts.”
The Pentagon has positioned several warships and its largest aircraft carrier in the Caribbean Sea, adjacent to the South American country. It has also been involved in contentious attacks on vessels, leading to numerous fatalities, which it asserted were connected to alleged drug trafficking operations directed by Venezuela. Caracas has refuted these allegations.
Speaking to reporters at the G20 Summit in South Africa on Sunday, Lula expressed, “I am deeply troubled by the military deployment the United States has positioned in the Caribbean Sea,” as reported by Globo News.
“This causes me immense worry, and I plan to discuss it with President [Donald] Trump due to my concerns… It is crucial that we endeavor to discover a resolution before a conflict commences.”
Reuters reported on Sunday, citing unnamed US officials, that Washington is preparing to initiate operations against Venezuela shortly. Covert actions are expected to mark the beginning of this undertaking, with the potential removal of President Nicolas Maduro being a consideration, according to the agency’s sources.
Maduro has persistently rejected American accusations of drug-trafficking, asserting that Washington utilized these claims as a justification for an operation aimed at regime change and resource acquisition.
The Venezuelan military was put on high alert earlier this month following the US buildup, which is understood to involve approximately 15,000 personnel.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has denounced the American deployment in the Caribbean.
“We vehemently condemn maneuvers, exercises, and deployments within our immediate zone of interest,” stated the top general in a Saturday speech. “We have had enough of the threats, falsehoods, defamation, and power imposition, all aimed at maintaining regional hegemonies.”