In a closed-door meeting of the Mercosur summit, held this Saturday (20), the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, broke with the predominant discourse in the bloc by defending United States pressure on Venezuela. Aligned with Donald Trump’s government, Milei suggested that Mercosur countries follow the North American strategy, according to reports from participants at the meeting.
The position directly contrasted with that of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who used his intervention to warn about the risks of military escalation in South America. Lula criticized the presence of foreign forces in the region and stated that the continent is once again living with external threats decades after the end of the Falklands War.
Lula points out global risk in Mercosur and tries to stop escalation between the USA and Caracas
When deepening the warning, the Brazilian president said that international law is facing a testing moment. He classified a possible armed action in Venezuela as a high-risk scenario. For Lula, an intervention could trigger a humanitarian crisis of major proportions and set a dangerous precedent on the global stage.
Faced with the possibility of a military offensive between the US and Venezuela, Lula has sought to assume the role of interlocutor. In early December, he spoke by phone with both Trump and Nicolás Maduro. He defended diplomatic efforts to prevent the impasse from evolving into an armed conflict.
Before the speeches, Lula had recommended interventions of up to ten minutes, but assured that he would not interrupt anyone. He made fun of the recent blackout in São Paulo by commenting that the power could not go out during the meeting.
