Lula received Maduro at the Planalto earlier this week.| Photo: EFE/André Borges.

Four former ministers of Hugo Chávez criticized this Wednesday (31) the statements made by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) on the situation in Venezuela. This week, Lula received the Venezuelan dictator, Nicolás Maduro, with head of state honors. The petista also said that Venezuela was the target of a “narrative” about anti-democratic situations.

O manifest it was signed by former ministers Rodrigo Cabezas (Finance), Héctor Navarro (Education), Ana Elisa Osorio (Environment) and Oly Millan (Popular Economy). They demand that Lula and the Brazilian government be “solidarity and consistent” with a way out of the country’s crisis, informed the CNN Brazil.

“We have always been militants of the democratic and progressive left. Based on this ideal, we dare to demand, Mr. President Lula da Silva, that you and your government show solidarity and consistency with a democratic way out of the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and in this way with the victims, among them the more than six million Venezuelans forced to migrate, and never with their perpetrators,” they stated.

In the letter, they also mention that there are currently 281 political prisoners, more than 300 radio stations with canceled licenses and more than 50 news sites blocked on the internet. “The Venezuelan government has committed flagrant violations of human rights in a widespread and systematic manner, arbitrary executions, cruel treatment and torture, which constitute crimes against humanity,” they said.