In an unexpected turn of events for even Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s closest advisers, Jair Bolsonaro’s government this Friday morning revoked a decree that barred members of Nicolas Maduro’s government from entering national territory.
Late last week, the UOL report revealed that Lula gave up having the President of Venezuela in attendance on Jan. 1. The reason was a 2019 regulation by Jair Bolsonaro that prevented the Caracas government from entering national territory.
For weeks, the transition team and the Bolsonaro government negotiated a revision of the law. But there was a refusal from the Planalto Palace. The situation was even explained to Maduro, who indicated in private conversations that he understood the situation. However, Lula wanted all of South America to gather in Brasilia as a symbolic gesture of resuming the regional integration process.
A decree published in the Official Journal and signed by Ministers Antonio Ramirez Lorenzo (Justice) and Carlos França (External Relations) repeals the decree of August 19, 2019 that prevented the entry of Venezuelan authorities.
If the regulation opens up the possibility for a Venezuelan delegation, there is no guarantee that there will be enough time to organize a trip for Maduro. One of the obstacles would be the security issue and the impossibility of an advanced delegation disembarking in Brasilia to prepare for the arrival of the President of Venezuela.
One possibility would be to send a delegation led by the VicePresident. Caracas, the column discovered, has already begun preparing a mission and is due to decide this Friday who will represent the Bolivarian government at the inauguration.
In total there will be around 60 delegations in Brasília.