At the BRICS summit, Lula da Silva criticized the US military deployment in the Caribbean and defended Latin America’s status as a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, reaffirmed by the Treaty of Tlatelolco.

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BRICS Summit: Lula Criticizes U.S. Military Presence in the Caribbean

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, on behalf of President Nicolás Maduro, welcomed the call by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to respect the status of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, a commitment established by the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1967.

In a Telegram message, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil welcomed the Brazilian president’s statement, who, during the virtual BRICS summit, urged respect for this principle and the revitalization of multilateralism at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

In this context, Lula criticized the United States military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, calling it “a factor of tension incompatible with the peaceful vocation of this region.”

The Brazilian president argued that the presence of eight missile-equipped warships and a nuclear-powered submarine—sent by the Donald Trump administration under the pretext of combating drug trafficking—contravenes the spirit of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which consolidated the region as the first densely populated zone free of nuclear weapons.

In this sense, Venezuela’s support for Lula’s call underscores the importance of preserving the region as a space for peace, in line with the principles of nuclear non-proliferation and multilateralism.

Venezuela and Brazil Strengthen Relations

During the same day, and in the framework of the 203rd Anniversary of Brazil’s Independence, Venezuela’s Deputy Minister for Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania, Tatiana Pugh Moreno, accompanied the Brazilian ambassador, Glivania María de Oliveira, in a floral offering at the sarcophagus of Simón Bolívar in the National Pantheon of Caracas.

The ceremony, which was attended by diplomats and officials from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, included the singing of the national anthems of Venezuela and Brazil, symbolizing the bonds of brotherhood between the two nations.

Bilateral relations, suspended in 2019, were reestablished after Lula’s return to the presidency in 2023. Since then, Venezuela and Brazil have promoted meetings to strengthen cooperation.

Likewise, at the recent Amazonian Countries Summit in Bogotá, Foreign Ministers Yván Gil and Mauro Vieira reaffirmed their commitment to national and regional sovereignty in the face of US aggression plans.

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