Brazil Confirms Joesley Batista’s Brief Trip to Caracas; Purpose Still Unclear

Overview

• Brazilian government and embassy sources confirmed Batista’s plane landed at Maiquetía and that he spent under 24 hours in Caracas.
• The Brazilian embassy said it was not notified of the visit and had no contact with Batista despite verifying the flight’s arrival.
• Sources at the Palácio do Planalto acknowledged awareness of the trip but denied that Batista acted as an official envoy of President Lula.
• Reports say Batista traveled to meet Nicolás Maduro, though Venezuela’s presidency has not confirmed any meeting.
• J&F’s links to Venezuela include roughly US$1.2 billion in past food sales by JBS and current exploration of oil and energy projects via Fluxus and Âmbar Energia, with the latter authorized since 2023 to import power from Guri to Brazil pending technical steps.