The Albany Gazette - Brazil, Mexico seek to defuse US-Venezuela crisis

The Latin American heavyweights are looking on in dismay as Washington ramps up military and economic pressure on Nicholas Maduro's government, raising fears of a direct effort to unseat the Venezuelan leader.

The United Nations Security Council will meet next Tuesday at the request of Caracas -- backed by China and Russia -- which urged an urgent meeting over the "ongoing US aggression".

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he was "very worried" about the mounting crisis on Brazil's doorstep.

The 80-year-old leftist said he had told US President Donald Trump that "things wouldn't be resolved by shooting, that it was better to sit down around a table to find a solution."

He said he had offered Brazil's help to both leaders to "avoid an armed conflict here in Latin America."

Lula spoke to Trump by phone earlier in December and the Brazilian leader said he may reach out to Trump again before Christmas to reinforce this offer, "so that we can have a diplomatic agreement and not a fratricidal war."

"I am at the disposal of both Venezuela and the US to contribute to a peaceful solution on our continent."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also offered to act as a go-between in talks between Washington and Caracas to find "a peaceful solution so that there is no US intervention."

Russia meanwhile said it was in constant contact with close ally Maduro and called for a "de-escalation".

Moscow's foreign ministry said it hoped the White House will "not allow a fatal mistake and will refrain from further sliding into a situation that threatens unpredictable consequences for the entire Western hemisphere."

- Regime change? -

Trump's administration accuses Maduro of leading a drug trafficking cartel and has built up a major naval presence in the Caribbean Sea, despite Venezuela being a minnow in the global drug trade.

US strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have left at least 99 people dead, with the latest strike Wednesday claiming four more lives.

Trump this week declared a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" to and from Caracas.

Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves although years of mismanagement and corruption have slashed production and hamstrung the economy in recent years.

Trump told Politico last week that Maduro's "days are numbered" and declined to rule out US ground attacks on Venezuela.

Maduro says the United States is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela's oil reserves.

The leftist this year began a third six-year term after a presidential election win last year that much of the international community did not recognize.

Lula -- who did not endorse Maduro's victory -- said he was concerned about what was behind the US campaign.

"It can't just be about overthrowing Maduro. What are the other interests that we don't yet know about?" he said, adding he did not know if it was about Venezuela's oil, or critical minerals, or rare earths.

"Nobody ever says concretely why this war is necessary."

(R.White--TAG)