The advanced echelon of Venezuela arrived in Brasilia this Saturday (31) to prepare the arrival of the dictator Nicolás Maduro to the inauguration ceremony of the graduated president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) this Sunday.
The entourage –in charge of organizing the preparations for the trip, which involve security, infrastructure and ceremonial issues– landed in the country on the eve of the event. That’s because until last Friday (30) Venezuelan authorities were prevented from entering Brazilian territory.
The way for Maduro to come was only opened when, after articulation by Lula’s transition team, the government of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) revoked the ordinance that barred the entry into the country of the high echelon of the Venezuelan regime.
According to the text published in 2019, the Venezuelan authorities would be “attacking democracy, the dignity of the human person and the prevalence of human rights”. Venezuela is now the second country in number of refugees, with 5.6 million, behind only Syria, in civil war since 2011.
The Bolsonaro government severed ties with the Maduro regime and recognized Juan Guaidó, one of the leaders of the Venezuelan opposition, as the legitimate head of state of the neighboring country. This Friday, opposition parties in Venezuela decided to stop recognizing Guaidó as interim president.
The impasse with Bolsonaro had led the future Brazilian government to stop negotiating the viability of the dictator’s arrival, after the current administration refused, on December 9, a request from the transitional cabinet to revoke the ordinance.
The vice president-elect and transition coordinator, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), even called representatives of the current government, but the answer had been negative.
According to diplomatic sources heard by the Sheetthe situation was even explained to Caracas, and the message would have been received with understanding in view of the expectation of reestablishment of the relationship between the countries when Lula takes over the Presidency.
But the case has taken a turn and everything indicates that Maduro will be present at Lula’s inauguration, who will start his third term on January 1, 2023. The logistical details are being discussed by Venezuelans this Saturday.
Ambassador Mauro Vieira, the future Minister of Foreign Affairs, anticipated that Brazil’s ties with Venezuela will be reestablished on the first day of the PT administration. The process, according to the chancellor, will first begin with the sending of a chargé d’affaires to assess the reopening of the embassy and consulate of Brazil in Caracas, closed since 2020.
“Later, we will appoint an ambassador to the Venezuelan government,” he said, making it clear that he was not referring to Guaidó. “[Abriremos] embassy with the elected government, the government of President Maduro,” he said.
For the inauguration of Lula’s third term, Itamaraty invited heads of state from countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Brazil. Until Wednesday (28), 65 delegations of heads and deputy heads of State, Government and Power, in addition to ministers of foreign affairs and special envoys, had already confirmed their presence in Brasília.
The number of foreign authorities, according to Ambassador Fernando Igreja, responsible for the inauguration ceremony, is higher than that of the 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
Presidents of countries from Europe, such as Germany (Frank-Walter Steinmeier) and Portugal (Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa), from Africa, such as Angola (João Lourenço) and Cape Verde (José Maria Neves), from Asia, such as East Timor ( José Ramos-Horta), and from the Americas, such as Argentina (Alberto Fernández) and Chile (Gabriel Boric).
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