Defense Minister José Múcio said he is concerned that the crisis between Venezuela and the United States (USA) could reach Brazil’s border and recalled that The Armed Forces sent reinforcements to the region before the start of the tensions of recent weeks. 
“We are concerned, as I said, with our border, so that it does not suffer and does not turn our border into a trench. Brazil is a peaceful country. We invest in weapons, in our strength, to defend our heritage. It is not eyeing anyone,” commented Múcio on Friday (5), after meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The minister explained that Brazil maintains permanent operations on the border with Venezuela and, by 2024, had scheduled Operation Atlas this year before the aggravation of tension between Caracas and Washington.
“We are moving troops to borders, thinking of COP30, thinking of giving greater assistance to part of the more inhospitable, more inaccessible border. Suddenly, this problem burst. [diz] ‘It was there to help Venezuela.’ [Não] It was there not to help anyone, ”added the minister.
In December 2023Brazil sent troops to the border with Venezuela in the context of tensions between the government of Nicolas Maduro and Guyana, which vie for control of the region of Essequibo.
‘Neighbor fight’
About the crisis between Venezuela and the US, which has been cast in recent weeks, Minister José Múcio said the situation is like “neighboring fight”.
“This is like neighboring fight. I don’t want them to mess with my wall. I don’t want them to take the wiring that lights the front of my house, which don’t move in my house, we cheer to pass. Evidently, they must have their reasons,” he said.
Military crisis
The Donald Trump government has been moving ships and a military submarine to the Venezuelan coast on the grounds of “drug fighting,” while accusing Nicolas Maduro’s government of leading a drug cartel.
Maduro rejects the accusations and says Washington uses this argument to promote a “regime exchange” from the South American country, owner of the world’s largest oil reserves. Experts consulted by Brazil agency They rejected calling Venezuela “narcoestide”as the Trump government says.
This Saturday (6), President Maduro asked the United States (USA) to reduce tensions to avoid conflict.
“The United States government should abandon its regime change plan in Venezuela and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and respect sovereignty, the right to peace, independence,” said the Venezuelan president.
Last developments
On Thursday (4), in a statement, The US Department of Defense accused Venezuela to fly over, with military aircraft, near a US ship, allegedly in international waters.
“This highly provocative movement is conceived to interfere with our anti-narrower operations,” the Pentagon said in a statement. Venezuela did not comment on this accusation.
Then international news agencies, based on unidentified sources, reported that The US sent ten F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico, Caribbean Island which is US territory.
According to Reuters, the measure would be to “conduct operations against drug cartels, two sources reported on the matter said.” The fighters would be added to the strong US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Last Tuesday (2), Donald Trump released video of an attack on a small boat allegedly carrying drugs near Venezuela, which would have murdered 11 people. The Maduro Government accuses the US of having used artificial intelligence on video of the attack.
