The presidents also addressed the situation of the Yanomami in the Amazon; Disputes about Essequibo could be avoided during the conversation
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) met this Friday (March 1, 2024) with the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduroon the sidelines of the 8th Celac (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean.
According to the report, the Venezuelan leader said at the meeting that the country would hold elections in the second half of this year. Power360. He reported that an agreement had been reached with the opposition parties in the National Assembly and that it would authorize international observers to monitor the elections and carry out additional vote audits.
However, there are doubts about the legitimacy of the elections as political opponents have recently been arrested or barred from participating by court order.
The recent events violate an agreement signed by Maduro and the opposition in October 2023 in Barbados in the Caribbean. Brazil, the USA, Mexico, Holland, Russia and Colombia took part in the meeting. The agreement provided for the holding of free, fair and transparent elections with the participation of international observers, the updating of electoral documents and freedom of the press.
The Brazilian government has reiterated its request for Maduro to hold the elections according to the parameters set in Barbados. Lula expressed his position at the meeting.
The dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo region, an oilrich territory of Guyana, was left out of the meeting. Lula had already said that he should not address the issue this Friday (March 1).
On Thursday (February 29), the head of Brazil's executive branch met with Guyana's President Irfaan Ali. Lula was in the neighboring country to attend the 46th Conference of Heads of State of Caricom (Caribbean Community) as a guest.
Questioned by journalists at the end of the meeting, the president said he had not addressed tensions in the region. “You see, we have not discussed the Essequibo issue. We don't argue. Why don't we discuss? Since this is not the right time for discussions, it was a bilateral meeting to discuss development and investments. But President Irfaan knows it, as the President knows [Nicolás] Tires [presidente da Venezuela]that Brazil is always ready to talk to them whenever necessary. Because we want to convince people that through a lot of dialogue we can maintain peace,” he explained.
Since the case has escalated again, Lula has acted as a mediator between the two countries but has tried to avoid any position that could escalate tensions. In a speech in Guyana, the president called for peace in South America but made no mention of the dispute.
In their conversation this Friday, Lula and Maduro also discussed joint measures by countries to curb the activities of illegal miners on Yanomami lands in the Amazon.
Maduro reported improvements in the Venezuelan economy, with a decline in inflation and growth in GDP (gross domestic product). The two presidents also discussed repaying some of Venezuela's debt to Brazil, around $2 billion, to allow trade between the countries to increase.