Lula calls for keeping South America “a peace zone”

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday (Feb. 29) defended the maintenance of South America as a zone of peace. He made the statement to the press after a meeting with the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, during his visit to Georgetown, the capital of the neighboring country.

“Our integration with Guyana is part of Brazil’s strategy to help not just with development, but also to work intensively to keep South America a zone of peace on planet Earth. We don’t need war, war brings the destruction of infrastructure, it brings the destruction of lives, and it brings suffering. Peace brings prosperity, education, job creation, and peace of mind to human beings. This is the role that Brazil intends to play in both South America and the world,” he declared.

Next to the Guyanese president, the Brazilian leader did not directly mention the dispute over Essequibo, between Guyana and Venezuela, but said he would thank the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, for being the coordinator of the talks between the two countries.

In the dispute over the Essequibo territory, the two nations have pledged not to use force to resolve the conflict. The agreement was signed in December 2023, after mediation by regional organizations and other countries, including Brazil.

Today, the president is due to travel to Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to take part in the summit meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), which is chaired by the country.