The Brazilian Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, announced that the new government led by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva does not foresee a state visit to Nicaragua at the beginning of his term, while the Central American nation is dealing with a political crisis with most of its opponents in prison.
In statements to the newspaper Stadium, During an interview on December 21, one of the most important newspapers in Brazil, Viera ruled out an imminent rapprochement with the Ortega government.
“I am sure that Lula will not make a speech in defense of Daniel Ortega (…) What they tell me is that if you declare yourself a candidate for the presidency of Nicaragua tomorrow, they will arrest you. So it’s difficult,” Vieira said.
“Lula will not make a state visit to Nicaragua in this situation. I think that is enough,” he clarified.
The foreign minister, however, said that other actions will depend “on the circumstances.”
Viera said that they also do not foresee visits to Cuba and Venezuela, also allies during Lula’s previous terms.
During the presidential campaign in Brazil, Lula was questioned about the supposed ideological affinity he might have with these governments, also accused of serious human rights violations.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro, for example, offered refuge in Brazil to religious “persecutedby Ortega.
Lula received congratulations from the presidents of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela. “Brother… Lula, with great joy we celebrate his well-deserved victory, praying to God to give you health and strength…”, the Nicaraguan government said in a statement.
Lula “conciliator”
Eric Olson, director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the Washington-based Seattle International Foundation, told the voice of america that currently the left in the region is dispersed and that Lula could play a “conciliatory” role in an eventual attempt to “unify the voices of the left.”
Basically, he alluded to the existing differences in the leftist governments, on the one hand and with their nuances Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua; and on the other Colombia and Chile.
However, Olson recalled that Lula during the electoral campaign “spoke loudly about Nicaragua,” referring to an interview in September 2021 when he questioned Ortega’s intention to be re-elected after jailing his opponents.
“If I could give Daniel Ortega advice, I would give it to him and any other president. Don’t give up democracy. Do not stop defending freedom of the press, of communication, of expression, because that is what favors democracy,” Lula told journalist Sabrina Berman, from Channel Eleven of Mexico.
Olson appreciated that at a time when Chile and Colombia have distanced themselves from Nicaragua, Brazil “would have the capacity to dialogue with the Nicaraguan regime” and in his opinion “it would be useful to open space for greater dialogue.”
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