Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva landed this Tuesday night in Bogotá to visit Gustavo Petro. The two leaders will analyze, among other issues on the regional agenda, the direction of the Venezuelan electoral process.
Lula and Petro agree that "isolating" Venezuela "does not and has not served any purpose," a Brazilian diplomat said. The South American giant is the guest country at the Bogotan book fair. The trip comes amid growing concerns about an electoral process in which Chavismo has blocked the passage of opposition candidates in Venezuela. The Venezuelan authorities have vetoed Corina Yoris, the candidate designated by her namesake, the disqualified Mara Corina Machado, Lula said last month. Petro, for his part, came to describe this veto as an "undemocratic coup,' but last week he promised from Caracas – where he also met with opposition Manuel Rosales – that Colombia would work for "political peace" in Venezuela, he said.