Maduro receives Celso Amorim in Venezuela to “enhance relations”

Former Chancellor Celso Amorim, current head of the special advisory of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was received this Wednesday (8) by the Venezuelan dictator, Nicolás Maduro, at the Miraflores Palace, in Caracas.

Venezuelan state broadcaster VTV broadcast images of the meeting and highlighted that the visit aims to “enhance diplomatic relations between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Federative Republic of Brazil”.

Maduro received Amorim, who was Lula’s advisor for international affairs during the presidential campaign, accompanied by first lady Cilia Flores, according to VTV, which did not give details of what was discussed during the meeting.

Relations between Brazil and the Chavista regime, suspended since 2019, were resumed with Lula’s return to the presidency on January 1.

During the government of Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), Brazil, like the United States, recognized Juan Guaidó as Venezuelan president. At the end of last year, as the strategy of a parallel government had not resulted in the expected political opening in the country, the opposition decided to remove him.

On Tuesday (7), the Vontade Popular (VP), party led by Leopoldo López, announced that it will present Guaidó as a candidate in the primary elections that the Chavista regime will hold on October 22, aiming at the 2024 presidential election.

After the first contacts between the Lula and Maduro governments, the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN, Parliament), with a Chavista majority, unanimously approved the appointment of Manuel Vadell as ambassador to Brazil in February, after the Brazilian government granted him diplomatic credentials.

On January 18, Venezuela had received the Brazilian chargé d’affaires in the Caribbean country, Flávio Macieira.