Brazilian Foreign Minister Responds To Criticism Of Pompeo's Visit To Country

RIO DE JANEIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2020) Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo on Thursday responded to criticism from the country's lawmakers about the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo.

While visiting Brazil last week, Pompeo, together with Araujo, met with migrants from Venezuela and slammed the government of Nicolas Maduro. Opposition lawmakers claim that it was unacceptable to have guests that speak ill about Brazil's neighboring countries. As a result, Araujo was summoned before the upper house's international affairs committee for an explanation.

In his speech, Araujo compared Venezuela with a neighbor's house that was captured by drug dealers. Extending this metaphor further, the foreign minister called the United States a neighbor living across the street, with which one could discuss that situation.

Araujo also rejected critics saying that Pompeo is serving the electoral goals of US President Donald Trump, saying that there is a bipartisan consensus in the US on the issue of Venezuela.

Venezuela has been experiencing a humanitarian and political crisis that intensified in January 2019 when US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido disputed President Nicolas Maduro's re-election and declared himself interim president.

The United States and its allies have recognized Guaido as the country's leader, while Russia and several other countries insist that Maduro is the only legitimate president of Venezuela.