International

Lula and Petro meet in Colombia’s presidential palace with the environment in the background

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived at the Casa de Nariño in Bogotá to meet with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, with whom he will talk about environmental cooperation, economic issues and also the Venezuelan situation.

Lula, accompanied by the First Lady of Brazil, Rosângela ‘Janja’ Lula da Silva, was received with military honors in the Plaza de Armas of the Colombian presidential palace.

However, he was not received by Petro in the outside courtyard of the palace, as usually happens, but the Colombian president waited for him at the door, next to the first lady, Verónica Alcocer.

The Brazilian and the Colombian, who have established themselves as the main South American leaders who defend the environment, will address “bilateral strategic issues, among others, the protection of the Amazon,” the Colombian Presidency reported.

Thus, on the table are issues of trade and investment, sustainable development and Amazon cooperation, social programs, human rights and family agriculture, among others.

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“The delegations of the two governments will hold meetings to discuss specific issues of binational interest, such as the implementation of the Belém do Pará Declaration of 2023, pharmaceutical regulation, biooceanic corridors, tourism, homologation of university degrees and electrical interconnection,” said the Casa de Nariño.

It is expected that they will also combine visions about Venezuela since both countries have expressed their “concern” about the obstacles imposed for the registration of some opposition presidential candidacies in the face of the elections on July 28, but they do not consider that “isolating” that country is the answer.

“The regional situation is a mandatory issue” and the electoral process in Venezuela is “of interest to both countries,” said last week the director of the South American department of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, João Queiroz.

Likewise, a road infrastructure plan proposed by Brazil to the countries of South America will be discussed, which aims at the construction of a wide road network and which has the endorsement of the main regional financial agencies.

The two presidents will also analyze commercial alternatives, both bilaterally and at the regional level, which include a push for the integration of South American production chains.

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Brazil is today Colombia’s third largest trading partner, behind the United States and China, so the two governments intend to expand that exchange.

After the meeting and an official statement, both leaders will address a Brazil-Colombia Economic Forum, which will bring together 300 businessmen from both countries.

They will also inaugurate the XXXVI International Book Fair of Bogotá, one of the most relevant cultural events in Colombia and which is dedicated this year to Brazil.

Related Topics:Brazil Colombia Lula PEtro

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.