Mourão: Brazil may adopt “small sanctions” on Venezuela
Brazilian vice-President Hamilton Mourão said today (Jan. 31) that Brazil may adopt “small sanctions” against Venezuela, adding that freezing the assets of Venezuelan officials “is a solution worthy of consideration.”
The idea is to increase pressure so that action is taken to prevent the crisis in Venezuela from aggravating. He reiterated, however, that Brazil will not intervene in the politics in the neighboring country.
In Mourão’s view, the solution to the crisis in Venezuela is around the corner. Proof thereof is the decision made today by the European Union to recognize congressman Juan Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela and recommend countries in the region to follow suit.
“Pressure is mounting and the country is closed in itself. I think they understand they’ve reached a limit. We military all across the world understand there’s a limit we can’t overstep,” he declared.
Bilateral commissions
Mourão also announced the resumption of the work of bilateral commissions such as those with China and Russia. He pledged to visit the Asian country in the first half of this year for the first time since the High Level Sino-Brazilian Commission (Cosban) was suspended.
“It was paralyzed because the law stipulates that the vice-president must spearhead the proceedings. Since President [Michel] Temer became president and there was no vice-president, it [was suspended],” he said.
The talks with Russia will be resumed in the second half-year, with a meeting taking place in Brazilian territory, Mourão said. The dates will be fixed with President Jair Bolsonaro.
International engagements at his office lasted the whole morning today. The vice-president welcomed head of the European Union delegation Cláudia Gintersdorfer, then Canadian Ambassador Riccardo Savone.
