 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (April 2023)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points.(September 2024) |
 | |
 Brazil |  Venezuela |
|---|---|
Brazil and Venezuela maintain diplomatic relations.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020) |
In 2001, Venezuela and Brazil opened a high-voltage power line between the two countries to supply electricity from Venezuela to energy-starved northern Brazil. The line provides cheap hydro-electric power to Brazil and also earns Venezuela tens of millions of dollars every year. [1]
In 2007, Brazil and Venezuela pledged closer trade and energy ties, including building a new oil refinery in Brazil. The $4.5bn refinery scheme to be completed in 2010 will be 40% owned by Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA, while Brazil's national oil firm Petrobras will hold the rest. [2]
Brazil president Lula was close with Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez. [3] [4] In November 2007, Lula defended Chávez as the democratic choice of his people. [4] He said: "There is no risk with Chávez." [4] Expressing his admiration for Chávez, he said "Only thanks to Chávez's leadership, the people [of Venezuela] have had extraordinary achievements," and that in 2008 that Chávez was "the best president the country has had in 100 years." [5] Brazilians had a different view than Lula in 2010, however, as only 13% had at least some confidence in Chávez, while seven-in-ten had little or no confidence in him. [6]
Venezuela purchased 1,500 tonnes of coffee beans from Brazil on 10 August 2009 after falling out with Colombia over its decision to allow an increased United States presence in its military bases. [7]
On 18 June 2015, a mission of Brazilian senators led by Sen. Aécio Neves (mostly composed by opposition legislatives to Pres. Dilma Rousseff) flew to Caracas with interest to visit Venezuelan prisoner Leopoldo López and families of victims of the protests against President Nicolás Maduro. About a kilometer away from the Simón Bolívar International Airport, the vehicle carrying the senators was prevented to continue the trip after being stopped and surrounded by government protesters. [8] Finally, the Brazilian senators decided to return to Brazil on the same day. The legislative houses Câmara dos Deputados and Senado Federal of Brazil issued motions of rejection to such events. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil issued an Official Note expressing his annoyance with the "unacceptable hostile acts" that occurred that day and asking for official explanations from the Government of Venezuela.
During the Brazilian government of President Jair Bolsonaro from 2019 to 2022, Brazil cut off the relations with the current Venezuelan government of president Nicolás Maduro. Brazil downgraded its diplomatic relations with the ruling Venezuelan government. In the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Brazil has recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the legitimate President of Venezuela. [9] In April 2020, Brazil closed its embassy in Venezuela. [10]
Brazil–Venezuela relations featured as a significant issue in the 2022 Brazilian general election. Far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, his surrogates and supporters repeatedly sought to undermine the campaign of leftist challenger ex-President Lula by making a series of claims that Lula had a desire to "turn Brazil into Venezuela", that under Lula's previous administrations, he had financed Venezuelan infrastructure development through the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) at the expense of Brazilian infrastructure development, and that Lula was "in love" with "Maduro and other dictators". [11] [12] [13] Meanwhile, Bolsonaro was accused of paedophilia and perversion by his opponents for a podcast in which he recalled a meeting he had with underaged girls … all Venezuelans' in São Sebastião, stating that he "felt a spark". Bolsonaro later apologised for his remarks. [14] [15]
Following Bolsonaro's defeat in Brazil's presidential runoff, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro congratulated Lula and reported the resumption of a "binational cooperation agenda between our countries" following a telephone conversation with the President-elect. [16] On December 14, Brazil's incoming Minister of Foreign Relations Mauro Vieira stated that Lula had instructed him to re-establish relations with Venezuela. [17]
Incoming foreign Minister of Brazil Mauro Vieira noted that from day one of the new administration, January 1, 2023, a chargé d’affaires would be sent to Venezuela to retake diplomatic buildings owned by Brazil, and to re-open the Brazilian embassy in Caracas. When questioned over the status of Juan Guaidó, Vieira, Brazil said it would "recognise the government of President Nicolás Maduro", but at the same time, would be willing to maintain contact with the Venezuelan opposition' [18] [19] In recognition of such comments, Guaido’s unofficial ambassador to Brazil, Maria Teresa Belandria, has initiated plans to exit Brazil before Lula’s inauguration. [20] Meanwhile, Vieira confirmed previous reports that contact has been made with the government to reverse its travel ban on Venezuelan officials to allow Maduro to attend Brazil president Lula's inauguration. [21]
Later that month, Vieira confirmed resumption of diplomatic relations between the two largest South American nations after severing them in 2020. In December of the previous year, Maduro already established Manuel Vicente Vadell as his country’s ambassador to Brazil. Meanwhile, attachés from both countries were evaluating the condition of the diplomatic missions in the respective capitals. The Brazilian government equally confirmed Manuel Vicente Vadeel Aquino as the Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil. According to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, economic ties particularly for petroleum and manufactured goods should also increase but the suspension of Venezuela from Mercosur in 2017 was hindering further economic ties. [22] [23]
In March 2023, Lula refused to join 54 other nations and sign a United Nations declaration criticizing Venezuela's human rights abuses. [24] In May 2023 Lula met with Maduro in Brazil. [25] In May 2023, Lula warmly embraced and fully supported Venezuela's President Maduro. [26] Lula dismissed charges against Maduro of human rights and civil rights abuses as a political "constructed narrative". [3] Lula was criticized by Uruguay’s President Luis Lacalle Pou, who said that the "worst thing we can do" is pretend there are no significant human rights problems in Venezuela, and by Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, who said that Lula was making light of human rights violations in Venezuela. [26] Lula also criticized as "unjustified" U.S. sanctions on Venezuela for its alleged human rights abuses, and criticized the United States for denying the legitimacy of Maduro, who the U.S. said had not allowed free elections. [27] [28] [29]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for managing the foreign relations of Brazil. Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America and is a key political and economic power on the world stage. Brazil's foreign policy reflects its role as a regional power and a potential world power and is designed to help protect the country's national interests, national security, ideological goals, and economic prosperity.
The foreign relations of Venezuela had since the early twentieth century been particularly strong with the United States. However, since the election of Hugo Chávez as President of Venezuela in 1998, Venezuela's foreign policy differed substantially from that of previous Venezuelan governments. This change in foreign policy direction continues under the current president Nicolás Maduro.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula da Silva or simply Lula, is a Brazilian politician who is the 39th and current president of Brazil since 2023. A member of the Workers' Party, Lula was also the 35th president from 2003 to 2011. He has also held the presidency of the G20 since 2023.
United States–Venezuela relations have traditionally been characterized by an important trade and investment relationship as well as cooperation in combating the production and transit of illegal drugs.
Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician and the 53rd president of Venezuela since 2013. Previously, he was the 24th vice president of Venezuela from 2012 to 2013, the minister of foreign affairs from 2006 to 2012, and the 3rd president of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2005 to 2006.
Canada and Venezuela established full diplomatic relations in the early 1950s. Relations between the two countries have traditionally been on good terms; those relations however began to sour under Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau, in relation to the policies of Presidents Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. Canada has imposed targeted sanctions against 70 government officials in the Venezuelan Government.
Russia–Venezuela relations include cooperation between Russia and Venezuela in areas of common concern, such as their common status as oil exporters, and policy toward the United States. Venezuela is Russia's most important trading and military ally in Latin America. Russia recognizes Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela, instead of Juan Guaidó, in the Venezuelan presidential crisis.
Japan–Venezuela relations are bilateral relations between Japan and Venezuela. Formal diplomatic relations between the countries were established in August 1938. Venezuela broke off diplomatic ties with Japan in December 1941, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
China–Venezuela relations are the international relations between the People's Republic of China and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Formal diplomatic relations between both countries were established in August 1944 and switched recognition to the PRC in 1974. Before 1999 only one sitting president, Luis Herrera Campins, had visited China. Cooperation began growing significantly during the Presidency of Hugo Chávez of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the tenure of Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao as the leader of the People's Republic of China. In 2016, China-Venezuelan trade amounted to $7.42 billion, with $4.9 billion coming from Venezuelan exports and $2.52 billion coming from Chinese exports.
The Embassy of Venezuela in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of Venezuela to the United States. The embassy is located at 1099 30th Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. in the Georgetown neighborhood.
Haiti–Venezuela relations are relations between Haiti and Venezuela. Venezuela has an embassy in Port-au-Prince, and Haiti has an embassy in Caracas.
The nations of Mexico and Venezuela established diplomatic relations in 1831, however, diplomatic relations between both nations have been historically unstable on several occasions. During the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Mexico took a neutral position and has continued to maintain diplomatic relations with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
The Embassy of the United States in Caracas is a United States embassy that represents the United States in Caracas, Venezuela.
Juan Gerardo Antonio Guaidó Márquez is a Venezuelan opposition politician. He belonged to the social-democratic party Popular Will, and was a federal deputy to the National Assembly representing the state of Vargas.
The Venezuelan presidential crisis was a political crisis concerning the leadership and the legitimate president of Venezuela between 2019 and 2023, with the nation and the world divided in support for Nicolás Maduro or Juan Guaidó.
During the Venezuelan presidential crisis concerning the legitimate President of Venezuela, reactions and responses to the crisis were greatly divided.
Chile–Venezuela relations are the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Chile and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Both nations are members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Group of 77, Latin American Integration Association, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and the United Nations.
Portugal–Venezuela relations are the bilateral relations between Portugal and Venezuela. Portugal has an embassy in Caracas. Venezuela has an embassy in Lisbon and a Consulate-General in Funchal.
The second presidency of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva started on 1 January 2023, when he was inaugurated as the 39th President of Brazil. Lula was elected for a third term as President of Brazil on 30 October 2022, by obtaining 50.9% of the valid votes in the 2022 Brazilian general election, defeating his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. Lula is the first Brazilian president to ever be elected more than twice as well as being the oldest person to ever be elected president in Brazil.
The presidential transition of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's second presidency officially began on November 3, 2022, and ended with his inauguration on January 1, 2023. Then vice president-elect Geraldo Alckmin was appointed as the chair of Lula's transition team on November 1, 2022.
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Africa |  | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Americas | |||||||
| Asia | |||||||
| Europe | |||||||
| Former states | |||||||
| Diplomacy |
| ||||||
 | This article about bilateral relations is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
