Brazil’s President Lula says destiny of Venezuelan president ought to be decided by the ‘individuals of Venezuela’ and ‘not by overseas interference’.
Printed On 21 Feb 2026
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has mentioned that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ought to face trial, however that it ought to happen in a Venezuelan courtroom, somewhat than in the US, the place he’s at the moment being held after his abduction by the US army.
“I consider that if Maduro must be trialled, he must be trialled in his nation, not trialled overseas,” Lula mentioned in an interview, emphasising that “what issues now could be to re-establish democracy in Venezuela”.
“It must be solved by the individuals of Venezuela, and never by overseas interference,” mentioned Lula, citing a historical past of US-backed dictatorships in Latin America, together with Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.
“We can not settle for {that a} head of state of 1 nation may invade one other nation and seize the president,” the Brazilian chief added.
Lula’s feedback come as Venezuela’s performing president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been working to launch lots of of politicians, activists and legal professionals jailed throughout Maduro’s residency, which started in 2013.
The Brazilian has brazenly criticised the kidnapping of Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, in a army operation ordered by US President Donald Trump on January 3.
Maduro was flown to New York after his abduction in a bloody night time raid on Caracas. He has since been accused by US authorities of planning to move medicine to the US alongside different expenses.
The US authorities’s personal knowledge exhibits that Venezuela just isn’t among the many world’s main drug producers; nevertheless, Trump administration officers have accused Maduro and others of working with the area’s largest drug trafficking teams, together with in Colombia and Mexico.
Whereas the Trump administration has claimed that its army buildup close to Venezuela and maritime blockade of the nation have been centered on combating drug trafficking, Trump has laid declare to Venezuelan oil reserves since eradicating Maduro.
Trump has additionally invited US oil corporations to use Venezuela’s oil and mentioned he desires proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan oil “to profit the individuals of Venezuela and the US”.
