The Brazilian government has strongly condemned the United States’ military attack on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, describing the action as a grave breach of international law and an “unacceptable line” that threatens global stability.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the bombing of Venezuelan territory and the arrest of its leader amounted to a serious violation of international norms and an assault on Venezuela’s sovereignty.
“The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president have crossed an unacceptable line,” Lula said. “These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and set an extremely dangerous precedent for the international community.”
Lula warned that military attacks carried out in blatant disregard of international law risk plunging the world into violence, chaos, and instability, where power overrides multilateral cooperation. He stressed that Brazil’s condemnation of the use of force aligns with its long-standing foreign policy position in similar conflicts across other regions.
The Brazilian leader called for a “vigorous” response from the United Nations, while reaffirming Brazil’s readiness to encourage dialogue, mediation, and cooperation to resolve the crisis.
Earlier on Saturday, U.S. forces launched strikes on Venezuela and removed President Maduro from power, marking Washington’s most direct military intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama. U.S. President Donald Trump praised the operation as a major success, describing it as “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might” in the country’s history.
In response to the unfolding developments, Brazilian authorities convened an emergency cabinet meeting, with particular focus on the possibility of an influx of Venezuelan refugees. President Lula, who was away from Brasília due to the holiday season, participated virtually.
Following the meeting, Brazil’s foreign ministry said there had been no unusual movement at the border so far. The ministry noted that Brazil has maintained humanitarian assistance programmes for Venezuelan migrants since 2018 and has received more than 150,000 Venezuelans during that period, according to official figures released last year.
Brazil’s northern states of Roraima and Amazonas are the only regions bordering Venezuela, with over 70 per cent of Venezuelan refugees entering through Roraima, Governor Antonio Denarium said. He added that while Brazil’s border remains open, Venezuelan authorities are reportedly preventing their citizens from leaving, even as Brazilians continue to cross freely.
The foreign ministry also disclosed that Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, held talks with his Venezuelan counterpart on Saturday, though details of the discussion were not made public.
President Lula has previously cautioned that armed intervention in Venezuela could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe and has consistently offered Brazil’s services as a mediator in efforts to resolve the country’s prolonged political crisis.
