Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with US President Donald Trump on Monday, discussing various issues over a 50-minute call. According to the Brazilian government's statement, the two leaders touched on the situation in Venezuela, where Lula expressed his opposition to the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and described it as crossing an "unacceptable line" that threatened regional stability.
Lula emphasized the importance of preserving peace and stability in the region, particularly for the well-being of the Venezuelan people. The Brazilian president also pressed Trump on the need to limit a proposed "Board of Peace" initiative to Gaza and include a seat for Palestine, citing concerns that it could assume a wider role and rival the United Nations.
The Board of Peace proposal was introduced by Trump last week, aiming to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza following a recent ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. However, its charter appears to be open-ended, sparking doubts among traditional US allies like France and Britain. Lula's request to limit the initiative is seen as an attempt to ensure that it does not become a platform for Trump's influence in regional affairs.
The call with Trump marked the second meeting between the two leaders since October, when they improved ties after months of tensions between Washington and Brasilia. As part of these efforts, Trump's administration has lifted sanctions on a top Brazilian judge and exempted key Brazilian exports from tariffs imposed by the US.
Lula is scheduled to visit Washington soon, with plans to set up a date for his trip "soon". The Brazilian president has been active in recent days, holding phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Lula emphasized the importance of preserving peace and stability in the region, particularly for the well-being of the Venezuelan people. The Brazilian president also pressed Trump on the need to limit a proposed "Board of Peace" initiative to Gaza and include a seat for Palestine, citing concerns that it could assume a wider role and rival the United Nations.
The Board of Peace proposal was introduced by Trump last week, aiming to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza following a recent ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. However, its charter appears to be open-ended, sparking doubts among traditional US allies like France and Britain. Lula's request to limit the initiative is seen as an attempt to ensure that it does not become a platform for Trump's influence in regional affairs.
The call with Trump marked the second meeting between the two leaders since October, when they improved ties after months of tensions between Washington and Brasilia. As part of these efforts, Trump's administration has lifted sanctions on a top Brazilian judge and exempted key Brazilian exports from tariffs imposed by the US.
Lula is scheduled to visit Washington soon, with plans to set up a date for his trip "soon". The Brazilian president has been active in recent days, holding phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.