Guaidó says Lula does a disservice to democracy by not opposing Maduro

The opponent of the dictatorial regime in Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, said in an interview with the newspaper The globe that President Lula (PT) does a great disservice to democracy by not opposing the Nicolás Maduro regime and human rights violations in the country.

“President Lula does a great disservice to democracy by not taking a frontal position in defense of human rights and, consequently, of democracy,” he declared. “If the attack on the Brazilian Parliament is deplorable, the attack on the Venezuelan Congress by Maduro is also deplorable,” said Guaidó, former interim president of Venezuela, whose government was dissolved in late December.

As did neighboring countries where the left came to the presidency, Brazil has again recognized the dictator Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela. During the administration of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), the Brazilian embassy in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, was closed by the Brazilian government. Lula, however, intends to send a mission to the country to resume relations with Maduro.

For Guaidó, Lula makes invisible the violation of human rights suffered by immigrants and refugees in the country. “A president with 24 days of government that minimizes or does not pronounce on the most severe humanitarian crisis ever seen on the continent, worse than in nations that live wars, like Syria and Ukraine, does not understand Venezuela. No wonder Maduro is accused of crimes against humanity. But there is no intention to polarize anyone, but to defend the democratic system and the possibility of resolving the Venezuelan crisis through free presidential elections,” declared Guaidó.

Lula defends “affection” with dictatorial regimes

Lula’s trip to Argentina marked a turning point in Brazil’s relations with dictatorships such as Venezuela and Cuba. The rapprochement with these countries takes place after four years since the removal promoted by the government of former President Bolsonaro. The petista defended that there is a “affection” with the dictatorial regimes.

“An end to the blockade of Cuba, which has lasted more than 60 years without any need. Cubans don’t want to copy the Brazilian or US model, they want to make their own model. And who has to do with that? So, it has to treat Venezuela and Cuba with great affection and, in what we can help solve their problems, we will help”, said Lula.