Lula, Maduro, Diaz-Canel, Sergei Lavrov
The recent visit of Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, to four Latin American countries, namely Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, emphasized Russia’s desire to use the region as a geopolitical arena and weaken support for Ukraine. He also suggested that Russia considers Latin America as a stage for confrontation with the United States and the “collective West”. During his trip, Lavrov promised to support regional organizations like the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, which are seen as counter to US interests.
Russia’s involvement in Latin America is primarily to remind the United States that it can cause trouble in their backyard, especially during the Ukraine war. Lavrov’s meetings with officials from Venezuela and Cuba focused on bilateral agreements, and both criticized the economic sanctions imposed on them by the US government. He also promised to support Venezuela’s efforts to become an independent economy, free from US pressure. In Cuba, Lavrov assured the announcement of agreements regarding food and oil negotiated by Díaz-Canel during a Moscow trip last year will be made public soon, but he gave a mild response to questions regarding whether Russia will open a military base in Cuba.
During his visit to Brazil, Lavrov met with President Lula da Silva, who proposed a “club of neutral countries” to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. He welcomed the proposal and also commented on President Lula’s suggestion to move the BRICS bloc away from using the dollar in their transactions. The visit to Brazil and President Lula’s comments about the war in Ukraine drew criticism and concerns in the United States, causing a diplomatic conflict that showed the divisions Russia aims to instigate in the region.
The visit to Brazil and the comments of President Lula about the war in Ukraine have drawn criticism and concerns in the United States, causing a diplomatic conflict that showed the divisions Russia aims to instigate in the region. Lavrov said that Russia was “grateful to our Brazilian friends for a correct understanding of the genesis of this situation and their striving to contribute to a search for ways of settling it,” while Lula accused the US and the EU of prolonging the war, prompting the White House to accuse Brazil of “parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda” without facts.
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