Lula and Maduro strengthen ties at South American summit.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro visited Brazil for the first time since being banned by former President Jair Bolsonaro in 2019. He was received by new leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of a summit of Latin American leaders in Brasilia. Lula used the visit to criticise US sanctions on Venezuela, saying a "constructed narrative of authoritarianism" was in place about Venezuela and that sanctions were unjustified. Maduro called for the US sanctions to be lifted and said he would call upon other South American nations to oppose them as a regional bloc.