CORRECTION: Brazilian President to skip Ali-Maduro meeting

Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 December 2023, 11:40 by Denis Chabrol

Corrected to mean Venezuelan troops on their side of the border (not Guyana as was previously reported) in paragraph 5, line 3. Demerara Waves regret the error

The President of Brazil, Luis Inacio ‘Lula’ Da Silva will skip Thursday’s meeting in St Vincent between President Irfaan Ali and the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro aimed at easing border-related tensions between Caracas and Georgetown, Brazilian media reported.

G1 news reported that the Brazilian leader has assigned his foreign relations advisor, Celso Amorim, after a conversation he had with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Mr Lula had been invited to observe the talks between Presidents Ali and Maduro.

Amorim traveled to Caracas about two weeks ago, and has been the main coordinator in the resumption of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Venezuela, since Lula assumed his third term. Amorim was responsible for the talks for the reopening of the Brazilian embassy in the country.

According to LPM News, Mr Amorim, in Lula’s absence, would be responsible for transmitting different messages to the two countries involved in the territorial dispute. In relation to Venezuela, the Brazilian advisor is tasked with communicating that Brazil will not support unilateral measures that lead to an escalation of the situation, adopting a firm stance against the conflict. For Guyana, Amorim should convey a sense of tranquility, making it clear that Brazil, although vigilant, does not believe in an armed outcome in South America.

More than two months ahead of Venezuela’s December 3 referendum on Essequibo, Venezuelan troops have been deployed on their side of the border. Following the vote, President Maduro ann0unced that Essequibo would be Venezuela’s new military zone, foreign investors in concessions that had been granted by Guyana had three months to leave, and that a census would be conducted to grant residents of Essequibo citizenship and Venezuelan identification cards.

The US and other strategic partners, according to President Ali, if the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo Region evolves into a military conflict.

The Guyanese leader has ruled out holding negotiations with Venezuela on the more than 100-year old border controversy and has insisted that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) be the mechanism to resolve the controversy over the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award of the land b0undary between the two neighbouring states.

The meeting was brokered by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the sub-regional Caribbean Community CARICOM.

President Maduro is also expected to go to Moscow in the coming days, according to the Russian government, in a visit that could once again place the US and Russia on opposite sides in a conflict between countries.