Venezuela's Ambassador to Brazil Manuel Vadell returned to Brasilia on Thursday after two weeks in Caracas for consultations, thus ending the diplomatic crisis between the two countries. The diplomat announced this move through a video published on social networks. He had been summoned to Venezuela on Oct. 30, after Nicolás Maduro's regime said that statements by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's Foreign Affairs Advisor Celso Amorim were interfering and rude.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in an interview with RedeTV that Nicolás Maduro was “Venezuela's problem,” not his country's. “It seems to me that it was a wise reflection by Lula,” Maduro replied after recent incidents between the two Latin American nations resulting in Caracas being excluded from the BRICS associate membership granted to Bolivia and Cuba, among others.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Monday accused Brazil's Foreign Ministry of being an agent at the service of the United States, which would explain his country not being admitted as an associate member of BRICS, unlike Cuba and Bolivia.
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was offered the chance to stay for another five years as head of the New Development Bank (NDB, also known as the BRICS Bank) by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the bloc's Summit in Kazan, Agencia Brasil reported Thursday. Rousseff's term ends in July 2025.
Brazil has positioned itself as neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join sanctions or provide military aid to Kiev, while proposing a peace initiative in cooperation with China. The joint Brazil/China peace plan or at least to end hostilities, has been defined by Ukrainian president Zelensky as destructive.
Argentine Foreign Minister Daiana Mondino traveled to Japan between March 21 and 23 to boost a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Asian country and the South American Common Market (Mercosur). While at it, Mondino seized the opportunity to further criticize China.
The governor of the Argentine province of Buenos Aires Axel Kicillof Thursday held a video conference with BRICS bank chairwoman and former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to strengthen collaboration ties and discuss investment opportunities for the country's largest territory, according to a statement from the Peronist/Kirchnerite leader's office.
Although partners in the South American Common Market (Mercosur), Brazil and Paraguay took opposite sides in the case brought by South Africa before the The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for allegedly committing genocide against Palestinians living in Gaza. While the leftwing-leaning administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined the plaintiff, Asunción sided with the defendant.
The Argentine Government of President Javier Milei this week sent a note announcing that the South American country would not be joining the BRICS group on Jan. 1 as agreed upon with the previous administration of Alberto Fernández.
Argentina's future Foreign Minister Diana Mondino confirmed this week that her country would not be joining the BRICS alliance on Jan. 1 as scheduled despite a personal letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping to President-elect Javier Milei.