Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a secret phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last week—the first friendly conversation between them in a long time—expressing concern about American military harassment in the Caribbean and reiterating his willingness to help, according to sources cited in a report shared during the 28-minute reporting window ending at 5:45 PM UTC on Dec. 11, 2025. In the conversation, Lula voiced worries over U.S. military activities in the region, as detailed by the sources. This disclosure comes amid heightened U.S. aircraft movements, including a C-5M Super Galaxy (85-0005, RCH2025) departing Moody Air Force Base in Georgia for Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico between 4:17 PM and 5:16 PM UTC, according to an X post by @LatAmMilMVMTs. The call follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's telephone conversation with Maduro earlier on Dec. 11, where Putin expressed solidarity, as announced by the Kremlin via TASS and @AlertaNews24. U.S. Southern Command also announced Lt. Gen. Evan L. Pettus will assume command on Dec. 12, succeeding Adm. Alvin Holsey, per prior statements.
