Brazil's Lula plans call with Trump amid Venezuela conflict fears

Daniel Carvalho, Bloomberg News on Nov 23, 2025

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Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he plans to contact Donald Trump to express concern over the U.S. military buildup near Venezuela, warning that the situation could destabilize South America.

“I’m very concerned about the military apparatus the U.S. has deployed in the Caribbean Sea,” Lula told reporters at the end of the G20 summit in South Africa. “I intend to talk to President Trump about it, because it’s worrying me.”

Washington has stepped up strikes against alleged drug shipments from Venezuela, drawing criticism from several Latin American governments.

Lula said South America must remain a zone of peace and stressed Brazil’s responsibility to help preserve regional stability.

“There’s absolutely no reason to have a war right now. We must not repeat the mistake made in the war between Russia and Ukraine,” he said, adding that a solution must come before any escalation.

Lula and Trump previously discussed Venezuela during their meeting in Malaysia, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in late October, when the Brazilian leader offered to help mediate talks with President Nicolás Maduro.

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