US News and World Report features the Atlantic Council event President Rousseff’s Visit: Photo-Op or a New Era for the United States and Brazil? in article about President Obama and Brazilian President Rousseff meeting to discuss increasing tensions in Venezuela:
The two strongest economies in the Western Hemisphere will discuss one of its most precarious when Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff meets with President Barack Obama Tuesday at the White House. The leaders will address the increasingly dire situation in Venezuela as the economy struggles and political dissidents remain jailed despite international calls for their release.
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs Roberta Jacobson confirmed that Venezuela would be on the agenda at Tuesday’s bilateral meeting in Washington.
“The leaders are certainly going to speak about the importance of moving ahead … on many of the concerns that they have in Venezuela,” Jacobson said at an event previewing the visit at the Atlantic Council. “We believe and have for a long time that Brazil is a crucial actor on Venezuela. Its influence is critical not only bilaterally with Venezuela because of their relationship, but obviously within [the Union of South American Nations] which has played an important role vis-a-vis Venezuela.”