Lula urged the South America's 12 countries to overcome ideological differences that have divided the region and join efforts toward more economic, cultural and social integration. But their first continental gathering in almost a decade surfaced opposing views when the presidents of Chile and Uruguay President Luis Lacalle Pou criticized Lula's embrace of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro as a democratically elected leader.
Tuesday's meeting included Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who met with Lula on Monday on his first visit to Brazil in eight years to fully restore relations that were broken off by Bolsonaro. Maduro is hoping the South American countries will unite in calling on the United States to lift its sanctions against Venezuela, which he and Lula assailed for exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the country at their news conference.
Lula urged the South America's 12 countries to overcome ideological differences that have divided the region and join efforts toward more economic, cultural and social integration. But their first continental gathering in almost a decade surfaced opposing views when the presidents of Chile and Uruguay President Luis Lacalle Pou criticized Lula's embrace of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro as a democratically elected leader.
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Divergent views on Venezuela surfaced during a South American leaders' summit on Tuesday hosted by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as part of his efforts to unite the region's development and give it a stronger voice internationally. | May. 30