Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has issued a stern warning against potential foreign military intervention in Venezuela, characterizing such actions as a potential “humanitarian catastrophe” during the Mercosur bloc summit in Foz do Iguaçu. The statement came in response to escalating US measures against Venezuela’s government, including President Donald Trump’s recent order imposing a comprehensive blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuelan waters.
Lula, alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, had previously urged restraint earlier in the week as tensions mounted. However, during Saturday’s regional summit, the Brazilian leader delivered a more forceful condemnation of what he termed a “dangerous precedent for the world.” He drew historical parallels to the Falklands War, noting that “more than forty years after the Falklands conflict between Argentina and Britain, the South American continent once again faces the threat of military presence from an extra-regional power.”
The Mercosur gathering produced a joint declaration endorsed by the presidents of Argentina, Paraguay, and Panama, with high-level officials from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru also participating. The document reaffirmed regional commitments to maintaining democratic principles and human rights in Venezuela through peaceful means.
Concurrently, US Coast Guard operations intensified near Venezuelan waters. Officials confirmed to Reuters that American authorities were pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela—marking what would be the second such operation that weekend and the third within two weeks if successful. A US official described the targeted vessel as part of Venezuela’s “dark fleet” illegally evading sanctions, operating under a false flag, and subject to seizure under judicial order.