Lula condemns “old rhetoric” that justifies intervention in countries
On Sunday (Nov. 9), in Santa Marta, Colombia, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reiterated his support for multilateralism and condemned attempts to justify the use of force and illegal intervention in other countries.
“The threat of military force has once again become part of everyday life in Latin America and the Caribbean. Old rhetorical maneuvers are being recycled to justify illegal interventions,” said the president, who did not name the countries involved.
“We are a region of peace and we want to remain at peace. Democracies do not fight crime by violating international law,” he continued.
The statements were made during the plenary session on the first day of the 4th Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU).
Pressure from the US
The meeting takes place amid concerns among Latin American governments about the US offensive against alleged drug traffickers in international waters in the Caribbean sea and the Pacific ocean.
Since September, the US military has been targeting boats in the region under the orders of President Donald Trump, alleging that they were transporting drugs from countries such as Venezuela to the US.
Last Friday (7), an attack left three people dead. The offensive was announced by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Such operations have left at least 70 people dead.
Trump has been making intimidating statements against Venezuela, even hinting at offensive ground actions. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denies his country’s involvement with drug traffickers and says that the US is looking for reasons to invade Venezuela, which has the largest oil reserves in the world.
A divided region
The meeting in the Caribbean city brought together leaders from 27 EU countries and 33 CELAC countries. President Lula stated that the two groups of countries are central to building a world order based on peace, multilateralism, and multipolarity.
However, the president acknowledged that Latin America and the Caribbean have once again become a divided region, “more focused on the outside world than on itself.” He cited threats such as political extremism, manipulation of information, and organized crime.
“We live from meeting to meeting, full of ideas and initiatives that often never get off the ground,” he said.
Fighting crime
Less than two weeks after the Rio de Janeiro state government’s operation against the Comando Vermelho criminal organization which left 121 dead – including four police officers – President Lula stated that security is a duty of the state and a fundamental right.
“There is no magic solution to end crime. We must crack down on organized crime and its leaders, cutting off their funding and tracking down and eliminating arms trafficking,” he argued. The president did not specifically mention the case in Rio de Janeiro.
Lula stated that no country can face this challenge alone. He recalled two initiatives that he considers permanent platforms for cooperation in combating financial crimes and trafficking in drugs, arms, and people – the tripartite command of the triple border with Argentina and Paraguay, and the Amazon International Police Cooperation Center, bringing together nine South American countries.
Also on Sunday, President Lula left Santa Marta and headed directly to Belém for the official opening of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30).
