Brazil Raises the Alarm Over Venezuela Crisis Fears Border Disruptions Refugee Influx
Brazil has moved swiftly to assess the regional fallout from the United States’ military action in Venezuela and the reported capture of President Nicolas Maduro, warning that the development threatens regional stability and international norms.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday denounced the U.S. operation, describing it as a serious violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty.
In a post on X, Lula said, “These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.”
He urged the United Nations to respond “vigorously,” while reaffirming Brazil’s willingness to encourage dialogue and cooperation to prevent further escalation.
The U.S. intervention, confirmed earlier by President Donald Trump, marked Washington’s most direct military involvement in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, sending shockwaves across the region and prompting immediate diplomatic and security reactions from neighbouring countries.
In Brasília, senior Brazilian officials convened an emergency cabinet meeting to evaluate the situation, according to the foreign ministry. It said Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira had already spoken with his Venezuelan counterpart, though no details of the conversation were disclosed.
Concerns quickly spilled over to Brazil’s northern frontier. The head of Brazil’s Federal Police disclosed that Venezuela had temporarily shut its border with Brazil, a key transit route for Venezuelan migrants and refugees.
Brazil has operated humanitarian assistance programmes in the area since 2018 to manage the steady flow of displaced people fleeing Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Roraima State Governor Antonio Denarium later confirmed that the border was reopened after a brief closure.
Roraima, along with neighbouring Amazonas state, shares a land border with Venezuela and receives about 70 percent of Venezuelan refugees entering Brazil, according to the governor.
Despite fears that the military escalation could trigger a surge in displacement, Brazilian authorities said there were no official reports of an unusual increase in refugee crossings before the border was shut.
Lula has consistently opposed any armed intervention in Venezuela, previously warning that such action would result in a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
As regional leaders monitor developments closely, Brazil’s response highlights growing concern that the crisis could deepen instability across South America if diplomatic efforts fail.
