MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian FM talks global peace with Russian counterpart

“Brazil does not accept a world in which differences are resolved by the use of military force,” stressed Vieira

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira held a telephone conversation Tuesday with his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov during which they reviewed the recent terrorist attack in Moscow and the UN Security Council resolution ordering an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, among other topics. The South American diplomat offered his country's help to cool down the spiraling global tensions.

Vieira conveyed to Lavrov the condolences of the Brazilian people for the victims of last Friday's mass slaughter that left 137 dead and is considered the deadliest in the country in two decades.

Lavrov, who was in Brazil last month during a convention of G20 foreign ministers, had words of mourning for the casualties of the floods in Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, which have also left dozens homeless.

According to a statement from Itamaraty, the two ministers also reviewed “the latest developments in Gaza, including the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.”

Vieira also brought up the war in Ukraine and insisted that the world had reached a record number of conflicts amid mounting geopolitical tensions.

“Brazil does not accept a world in which differences are resolved by the use of military force,” emphasized Vieira, assuring that the country is ready to contribute with “concrete ideas and proposals” to face the challenges presented by the current conflicts, especially Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas.

In a separate document, Itamaraty also voiced Brazil's concern after Venezuela's opposition coalition Democratic Unity Platform (PUD) was unable to enter Corina Yoris for the July 28 presidential elections despite choosing a candidate other than the outlawed María Corina Machado, the winner of the October primaries.

“After the deadline for registering candidacies for the Venezuelan presidential elections expired last night, March 25, the Brazilian government is following with expectation and concern the unfolding of the electoral process in that country,” the Itamaraty statement read after “the candidate nominated by Plataforma Unitaria, an opposition political force, and on whom there were no judicial decisions, was prevented from registering, which is not compatible with the Barbados Agreements. So far, there has been no official explanation for the impediment,” Brazil's government also mentioned.

The Barbados Agreements, signed in October last year between the Venezuelan government and the opposition forces, set out the guidelines for this year's presidential elections.

“Brazil is ready, together with other members of the international community, to cooperate so that the election announced for July 28 is a firm step towards normalizing political life and strengthening democracy in Venezuela, a neighboring country and friend of Brazil,” the note went on.

In the current scenario, Manuel Rosales, a former rival of the late Hugo Chávez, has emerged as the main challenger to President Nicolás Maduro. Also entering the contest will be former political prisoner Daniel Ceballos, comedian Benjamín Rausseo, and evangelical pastor Javier Bertucci.

National Electoral Council (CNE) Chairman Elvis Amoroso confirmed that one of the parties within the PUD coalition had successfully registered Rosales whereas Machado's (PUD) never had access to CNE's online platform.