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Brazil’s President Lula has retracted his personal guarantee that Russian President Vladimir Putin would remain immune from arrest should he choose to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro next year.
Putin opted to skip this year’s gathering in New Delhi, India, to avoid potential political tensions and the risk of being detained under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
While Brazil is a member of the ICC, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva raised eyebrows when he stated in an interview with the Indian news network Firstpost, “If I were Brazil’s president and he were to visit Brazil, there would be no guarantee against his arrest.”
However, Lula changed his stance earlier today, telling reporters, “I cannot predict whether Brazil’s judiciary would detain him. It’s ultimately a matter for the judiciary to decide, not the government.”
Putin has declined attendance at recent international gatherings and had his Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, represent Russia at the September 9-10 G20 meeting in New Delhi, even though India is not a signatory to the ICC.
In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes related to the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. The Kremlin vehemently denies these accusations, asserting that the warrant against Putin is invalid.
On Saturday, the G20 nations released a declaration that refrained from condemning Moscow for its actions in Ukraine but called upon all nations to refrain from using force to acquire territory.
The next G20 summit is scheduled for November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, and Lula expressed hope that “the war will have concluded by then.” He also questioned Brazil’s membership in the war crimes court, stating that “emerging countries often sign agreements that may not be in their best interest.”
“I would like to understand why Brazil is a member, while the United States, Russia, India, and China are not,” Lula added. “I am not suggesting we withdraw from the court, but I am curious about Brazil’s status as a signatory.”
