Brazil vice-president goes to Colombia to discuss crisis in Venezuela
Brazil’s vice-President Hamilton Mourão will fly to Colombia on Monday (Feb. 25) to represent the country in the 14-nation Lima Group in Bogotá, at a meeting chaired by Colombian President Iván Duque. US vice-President Mike Pence is also expected to attend.
Mourão confirmed the trip on Twitter, saying he was designated to join the gathering in Colombia’s capital city by President Jair Bolsonaro. “We will discuss the development of the crisis in Venezuela, which closed its borders with our country today.”
The closed borders makes it difficult for Brazil to provide humanitarian aid from the cities of Boa Vista and Pacaraima, both of which in the northern state of Roraima, where centers for the distribution of medication were installed.
Roraima Governor Antonio Denarium told Agência Brasil he has sought alternate ways to guarantee Venezuelans receive help.
The humanitarian crisis and the political and economic situation in Venezuela led Brazil and 11 of the 14 countries making up the Lima Group to recognize interim President Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
