Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned recent US military operations in Venezuelan territory, cautioning against the unilateral use of force that undermines international law and global stability. In a piece for The New York Times, Lula highlighted the US bombings in Venezuela and the detention of its president on January 3 as troubling events that chip away at the post-World War II multilateral order. He stressed the importance of upholding the authority of the United Nations and its Security Council to prevent the routine use of force from jeopardizing global peace and security.
Lula expressed his disapproval of major powers eroding the norms established by the UN, emphasizing that such actions weaken both individual states and the international system as a whole. He argued against the notion of any country imposing justice on another, stating that it is not legitimate for a state to take it upon itself to deliver justice. The Brazilian leader warned that unilateral actions not only pose a threat to global stability but also have far-reaching consequences such as disrupting trade, increasing refugee flows, and impeding states’ abilities to combat transnational challenges like organized crime.
Lula raised concerns about the application of such practices in Latin America and the Caribbean, regions that historically prioritize peace through respect for sovereignty and self-determination. He underscored the need for these regions, with a combined population exceeding 660 million, to safeguard their interests and pursue foreign relations without succumbing to hegemonic pressures. The former president urged regional governments to set aside ideological differences and focus on attracting investments, creating jobs, boosting trade, and addressing critical issues like poverty, hunger, and climate change through cooperation and resource mobilization.
