Brazilian president suggests Carney will visit in April, condemns U.S. actions in Venezuela

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney Thursday afternoon and the Canadian leader accepted an invitation to visit the country in April.

In a social media post summarizing the phone call, Lula says that both leaders condemn the United States’ use of force in Venezuela and call for reform to global governance institutions.

“We exchanged views on the situation in Venezuela and its implications for the region. We condemned the use of force without support in the United Nations Charter and international law,” Lula said in the social media post.

A readout from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) says the two leaders discussed Venezuela and committed to a “Venezuelan-led transition process that respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people.”

The readout says both leaders discussed “the necessity” for all parties to uphold international law and the principles of sovereignty but doesn’t refer directly to the United States’ capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The PMO readout does not mention any plans for Carney to visit Brazil in April.

The Canadian Press has reached out to the PMO for comment but has not yet received a statement.

In an early morning military operation last Saturday in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both were transported to New York, where they have pleaded not guilty to drug charges.

In an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that American oversight of Venezuela could last for years.

Article source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lula-carney-brazil-visit-9.7039691?cmp=rss