Lula also turned a blind eye to Hugo Chávez’s increasingly heavy hand in Venezuela, never protesting or questioning his jailing of opponents, his crackdowns on the press, trade unions, and students, or his tampering with the electoral system. Brazilian corporations, especially construction companies, have huge investments and contracts in Venezuela, and Lula has used his friendship with the Castro brothers and Chávez to placate the left wing of his party, which has never been comfortable with his orthodox economic policies.
卢拉强调巴西一如既往地不会干涉古巴内政，甚至在一名异见分子绝食身亡之际照常访问哈瓦那，并且（虽未明确地）表示绝食者是咎由自取。卢拉还在内贾德窃取2009年伊朗总统选举后不到三个月的时候欢迎他到访巴西利亚和圣保罗，此举还引发了强烈抗议。卢拉还在今年访问过伊朗。