Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government (PT) changed its tone and criticized for the first time, this Tuesday (26), the blockade of the candidacy of opposition Corina Yoris, a name chosen by the main opposition force against Chavismo in the July elections in Venezuela. In a note, Itamaraty said it "follows with expectation and concern the unfolding of the electoral process" in the country, marking a inflection in the stance adopted by Lula until then regarding the regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro, to preserve the South American ally.
"Brasil reiterates its repudiation of any type of sanction that, in addition to being illegal, only contributes to isolating Venezuela and increasing the suffering of its people," says, on the other hand, the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At least seven other Latin American countries had already expressed "serious concern" about the impediment to the candidacy this Monday (25), in a joint note from Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Brazil decided to wait until the end of the electoral deadline to speak out. This Tuesday, Colombia, whose government of Gustavo Petro is friendly with the Maduro regime, also criticized the recent events and reiterated calls for all parties to abide by the agreement between dictatorship and opposition. "Colombia expresses its concern about the recent events that occurred on the occasion of the registrations of some presidential candidacies," said Bogotá's chancellery.
University professor Corina Yoris would be the candidate of the Unitary Platform coalition, replacing María Corina Machado, who was disqualified from holding public office for 15 years by the regime. María Corina won the opposition primaries by a large margin last year and was leading in the polls.