The presidents of Brazil and Ukraine exchanged harsh accusations at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Lula said that Zelensky is incapable of making peace. Zelensky accused Lula of allying himself with Russia and China by presenting a peace plan.
This proposal, according to Zelensky, means condemning Ukraine to accept that Russia keeps about 20% of its territory.
In practice, Brazil had already lost the conditions to be seen as a mediator in this conflict. And the cause of this was not just disagreements between the presidents.
The problem lies in the fact that Lula downplayed what happened in Ukraine, which was a basic violation of the right to territorial integrity, enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
Similarly, Lula fails to recognize that fundamental human rights were brutally crushed by the Venezuelan dictatorship, another principle enshrined in the United Nations.
Human rights are universal principles, and so is the self-determination of peoples. This is what we are talking about when we condemn what Israel does in Gaza or Lebanon in response to the attacks it has suffered.
What is valid in one place must be valid in another — there cannot be double standards, warned the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, referring directly to the Brazilian president’s stance on the conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and Venezuela.
Brazil does not have great powers of coercion. At the moment, it also lacks the powers of persuasion.
This content was originally published in Waack: Two weights and two measures in Lula’s speeches on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
