Behind the scenes of the meeting between Lula and Trump in Malaysia

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SPECIAL ENVOY TO KUALA LUMPUR - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) proposed being an interlocutor in the conflict between United States and Venezuela during the meeting with the American president this Sunday, 26, in Malaysia. Washington and Caracas have intensified tensions amid the reinforcement of the American military presence in the Caribbean Sea in recent months.

The document cites Lula's willingness to collaborate as an intermediary in the crisis regarding the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro, in Venezuela. The Americans reacted positively, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio had already indicated.

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Lula recalled that he had acted in a similar crisis situation during the government of Hugo Chávez, and cited the fact that the region was a zone of peace, without armed conflicts.

According to a witness to the conversation, the Americans talked about the military operation and Trump claimed that Maduro was releasing prisoners to send criminals to the US.

President Lula has expressed great concern about an attack on Venezuela by the American air and naval fleet deployed in the Caribbean Sea. He says the action is not justified by the fight against drug trafficking.

However, American diplomatic interlocutors have informed the Planalto Palace that they are not planning any action against Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship. However, there is a core of the government that still lacks confidence in the Trump administration and fears the risk of political contamination of the economic agenda between the two countries.

In previous conversations, the two presidents had already discussed the issue, but did not explore whether Brazil could play a mediating role. The possibility was not ruled out. Lula told aides that he had already worn himself out politically by Maduro. Former allies, they have not spoken since July of last year, when the PT member refused to endorse the electoral fraud in Caracas.

Lula said there was no prohibited subject and renewed his request for a review of the tariff hike, says chancellor

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According to Mauro Vieira, the meeting between presidents was positive and a response regarding a tax truce during the negotiation period may come as early as today. Credit: Images: Felipe Frazão; Editing: Jefferson Perleberg

Marco Rubio has previously said that he is interested in Brazilian mediation: “Not even Lula recognizes Maduro as the winner of the elections or the legitimate leader of Venezuela. So, I don't know if they (the Brazilian government) can be helpful or not. But I want it; it's interesting.”

The United States has sent warships, fighter jets, and troops to the region under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. Caracas, however, maintains that the real objective is to bring about the downfall of the Maduro regime. Since September 2, U.S. forces claim to have bombed ten suspected drug trafficking vessels, resulting in at least 43 deaths.