Why is it crucial to re-elect Lula at a time of aggression against South America?
More than ever, Brazil needs leadership that is up to the task. That leader is Lula.
In a serious operation, the details of which still raise numerous questions, United States forces kidnapped, under cover of night, the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores, and one of their children, taking them to New York.
The unilateral act, of a belligerent nature, occurred amidst the most blatant illegality. Laws, treaties, and protocols were violated, as were the norms of international organizations that should ensure the inviolability of national sovereignty and the protection of heads of state.
The exact extent of the practical consequences of this intervention, carried out in the most arrogant imperialist style, is not yet known. It is undeniable, however, that it revives the worst of the so-called Monroe Doctrine, according to which the United States grants itself, through a kind of mandate that is purported to be divine, the right to intervene, at its whim, in any country in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The pretext for this invasion, followed by abduction, could not be more false. As proof of the lack of a legitimate motive, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, resorted to yet another fabrication from the Washington-based propaganda machine. It is common knowledge that Maduro was not captured for involvement in drug trafficking or similar accusations, but because he symbolized the Bolivarian revolution, responsible for the nationalization of Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world, removing them from US control. Trump explicitly seeks to appropriate this underground treasure.
Kidnapping and plunder. This scenario of true collapse sums up the lawless international order, enshrined by Trump's actions in Caracas. Clearly, this January 3rd inaugurates an unstable and threatening period on Brazil's border, in the heart of South American and Caribbean territory. The region becomes a direct target of an offensive aimed at destabilizing it, plunging it into a context without parameters or limits.
Brazil, due to its size, wealth, and strategic interests, finds itself under threat. The recent zigzagging in relations between Washington and Brasília does not inspire tranquility. After Maduro's kidnapping, the reaction of Lula and the Brazilian Foreign Ministry was exemplary. The Brazilian government firmly repudiated the US action and defended peace and dialogue. The Foreign Ministry quickly recognized the constitutional government now led by Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, who, in addition to demanding Maduro's release, promises to continue the ideals of the Bolivarian revolution.
The questions naturally extend to the possibility of US interference in Brazil's internal affairs, as has just occurred with its neighboring country. More than ever, the nation will need firmness and the ability to engage in dialogue to defend its elections and its sovereignty. In this context, Lula's importance is even more highlighted, both as an experienced statesman and as a candidate capable of safeguarding national interests at such a challenging time. The specter of the recent past threatens to haunt the country once again. More than ever, Brazil needs leadership that is up to the task. That leader is Lula.
