Brazil is proving to be a neighbour acting according to principles that contribute to regional stability, when it comes to Venezuela under Maduro’s whimsical, dictatorial rule. Early last December, after Maduro held the referendum that was supposed to “legitimize” his annexation of our Essequibo, Brazil made it clear that it opposed any use of force by Venezuela to consummate their plan. The Brazilian military had already reinforced the border region through which Venezuelan troops would have to cross into southern Guyana. Additionally, the Brazilian army moved armoured vehicles and more troops to Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state, and additional troops along the Venezuelan border, after the referendum.
Then, after the Argyle Agreement facilitated by regional leaders — which produced the 11-point declaration pledging both sides to refrain from escalating the Essequibo controversy and pursue technical discussions — was signed by Presidents Ali and Maduro in St Vincent, Brazil facilitated the first follow-up meeting in January in Brasilia. However, Maduro kept up his hostile actions that were intended to intimidate our country, which precipitated military gestures of support from the US and UK. After its July 16 elections, when Maduro refused to furnish proof to dispute the Opposition’s claim to have won by producing the tallies provided automatically by the voting machines, Brazil also refused to accept the results until the proof was provided. President Lula suggested fresh elections or a coalition government as potential solutions to the country’s intensifying political crisis, which saw opposition politicians harassed.
In the meantime, however, Venezuela kept up its diplomatic offensive in efforts to rehabilitate its image, which had been damaged when it refused to accept the UN Secretary General’s decision, pursuant to the Geneva Agreement it had signed, for the ICJ to be the legitimate forum for resolving its border controversy with us. Supported by Russia and China, which had reaffirmed their friendship, Venezuela vigorously pursued membership in BRICS, which had accepted for new members — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE — in January to become BRICS+. With their economies representing over US$28.5 trillion, or about 28 per cent of the global economy, the bloc was on the verge of becoming a match for the Western nations led by the US, which Maduro’s mentor Chavez had declared to be Venezuela’s mortal enemy.
At the October BRICS+ meeting in Kazan, Russia, Venezuela confidently predicted that its application, along with those of over a dozen other countries, would be accepted. However, while the bloc welcomed 13 new “partner members”, it excluded Venezuela, despite the latter’s intense lobbying being backed by its friends. Venezuela’s application was blocked by Brazil, and since the bloc demands unanimity for its decisions, Venezuela did not even become a “partner member”. Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations explained that it did advocate for the creation of criteria and principles to guide the choice of the bloc’s new members.
Maduro had attended the Kazan summit, and called for the bloc to lead efforts to establish a “new international financing system”, independent of Western dominance. Since 2017, the US Treasury Department has imposed financial sanctions and an oil embargo on state oil company PDVSA aimed at isolating the country from global markets. The US had eased the sanctions to allow Chevron to resume its relationship with PDVSA on the promise of free and fair elections, and this was also now in jeopardy. Maduro was clearly humiliated at the Kazan BRICS+ summit.
He claimed he had been given assurances by Brazil that it would not block the Venezuela application, and he called the move “a stab in the back”. He carefully avoided blaming Pres Lula for the rebuff, and pointed his finger at Brazilian diplomat Eduardo Paes Saboia, who was involved in negotiations. He claimed the Brazilian Foreign Service was acting independently under the influence of the US. However, with over a week gone, Lula, who had not attended the Summit because of an accident, has not altered Brazil’s position.
For this and Venezuela’s prior actions, our Government should strengthen its relationship with our southern neighbour. Brazil will chair BRICS+ in 2025.
