U.S. Action in Venezuela Becomes Electoral Ammunition for Brazil's Right and Forces Lula into Caution

Folha De S. Paulo ^ | Jan 5, 2026

[CondoleezzaProtege]

The U.S. attack on Venezuela and the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro have intensified electoral rhetoric in Brazil, which will hold presidential elections this year. Leaders on the country’s right are using the episode to criticize President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has adopted a cautious tone when addressing the issue.

Allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro, including Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, his son, as well as some governors, have linked the case to communism and see room to exploit it during the campaign. Part of the right says it expects backing from Donald Trump in Brazil’s election.

The left has responded by emphasizing the defense of democracy and sovereignty and warning of the risk of U.S. interference. Lula criticized the bombings but avoided directly naming Trump or Maduro.

While the opposition seeks to tie Lula to the Venezuelan regime, leaders from the Workers’ Party (PT) and other left-wing parties argue that the episode strengthens calls for national self-determination. Some figures, however, condemn both Maduro’s dictatorship and the U.S. action.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving out a 27 year prison sentence for supposedly attempting a coup. He just had hernia surgery this week. And he continues to face complications from being nearly stabbed to death in 2018…The perpetrator of which has been acquitted.

[ArcadeQuarters]

> The left has responded by emphasizing the defense of democracy

Does democracy include rigged elections and support for dictators?

[frank ballenger]

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....

Idea: To pay for any expenses during the big changeover in Venezuela and elsewhere, tax Latinos on anything past a single first and last name.

Famous Golden Age science fiction writer Lester Del Rey (his wife used the name Del Rey for the major SF book publisher she founded) claimed his full name was:
Ramón Felipe San Juan Mario Silvio Enrico Smith Heathcourt-Brace Sierra y Alvarez del Rey y de los Verdes.

But research into his actual birth name, confirmed by official records, was Leonard Thomas Knapp. He was born in Minnesota in 1915.
Someone from Minnesota lied. Who’d have thought.

[ComputerGuy]

Please President Trump, invade our country.

[FLT-bird]

We need to back the Brazilian Right even harder than Biden backed the Brazilian Left the last time. Feel free to use the intel agencies to the maximum to do so. Get Lula and that corrupt regime and that dictator judge out of power.

[FlingWingFlyer]

If we can continue taking out all these fascist commie Kings in Mehico, Central and South America, the invasion of our homeland will stop and Soros’s scum party of Death, Drugs, Destruction and assassins will disappear. The bastards are coming here for “assylum” from scum bag fascist like Maduro and his squeeze Queen.