Venezuela Intensifies Attacks on Lula and Itamaraty

247 - Venezuela's state news agency published a cartoon on Sunday (3) suggesting a supposed shady involvement between Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. embassy in the country. The attack comes amid an escalation of the crisis between the Brazilian government and Nicolás Maduro's regime, accompanied by criticism of Itamaraty.

According to Metrópoles, the artist Vicman, responsible for the cartoon, used the term "Itamaraty pitiyankee," a mocking expression referencing Americans, originating from the way the British used to refer to U.S. settlers. The provocation coincides with Venezuela's discontent after the BRICS guest list was released, excluding Venezuela.

In the cartoons, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is depicted inside a Trojan horse, an allegory suggesting manipulation, implying that Lula disguises himself as an ally of Venezuela while actually serving U.S. interests. Vicman captioned it with the phrase “nothing surprising.”

Further, in another illustration, Lula emerges from a closet, dressed in a suit with the colors of the U.S. flag, with Vicman commenting, “How disgusting this old man is, but at least he came out of the closet.” In a third cartoon, the president watches as Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands, while Lula wears a symbolic U.S. hat.

The fourth and final cartoon portrays Lula alongside the presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei, and Chile, Gabriel Boric, all depicted as pets of a figure draped in the American flag, with Vicman referring to them as the "pitiyankee litter." Despite their ideological differences, Milei and Boric are critics of Maduro's regime.

The diplomatic crisis between the two countries intensified after Maduro summoned Ambassador Manuel Vadell back to Caracas following Brazil's veto on Venezuela’s entry into BRICS. On the same day, the Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning Brazil's recent positions and criticizing former Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, claiming he “acts more like a messenger of American imperialism.”

Amorim, considered one of President Lula's key advisors on foreign policy, stated during a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Relations and National Defense Commission that Venezuela does not meet the necessary criteria for inclusion in the bloc.

Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the Venezuelan criticisms, expressing “surprise” at the “offensive” tone of the statements. The Brazilian government emphasized that opting for “personal attacks and rhetorical escalation” does not reflect the respectful manner in which Brazil engages with Venezuela and its people.