Maduro visits Brazil, signals ‘new era’ in relations with Lula

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has made his first visit to Brazil since being banned by former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in 2019. Maduro was welcomed by the new president, fellow leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, ahead of a summit of Latin American leaders in Brasilia. Lula highlighted the importance of Maduro’s visit, stating it marked the beginning of his return. Maduro spoke of a “new era” in bilateral relations, with both leaders emphasising the need for the region to address poverty.

A number of countries question the legitimacy of Maduro, who is described by opponents as a dictator. Greeting his guest in the Brazilian capital, Lula referred to his own return to power five months earlier after defeating Bolsonaro in closely contested presidential elections. Maduro said Venezuela was open for Brazilian investors, stressing that the two countries “must be united, from now on and always”.

Since Maduro was elected in 2013, he has grown increasingly authoritarian. His crackdown on opposition activists ultimately led to the US imposing sanctions on his government and recognising opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019 after a contested election.

Last December, Venezuela’s opposition National Assembly voted to dissolve its parallel government and remove Guaidó. He was recognised by many Western countries, including the US, but failed to oust the left-wing president. The vote demonstrated how many opposition politicians in Venezuela had lost faith in Guaidó. The assembly also voted to appoint a commission to govern the country’s foreign assets, as they sought a united front ahead of elections scheduled for 2024.

Venezuela’s long-running political and humanitarian crisis has seen approximately seven million people flee the country since 2015. The nation has been caught in a downward spiral for years, with growing political discontent further fuelled by skyrocketing hyperinflation, power cuts, and shortages of food and medicine.