text: Iraq In 2003, Lula condemned the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, saying that the United States had no right "to decide unilaterally what is good and what is bad for the world". He said that "the behaviour of the United States in relation to Iraq has weakened the United Nations".
  Libya
  Brazil, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, abstained from the vote authorising "all necessary measures" against Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.  It opposed the bombing in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. Lula said: "These invasions only happen because the United Nations is weak."
  Venezuela
  Lula was close with Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez, a close ally of Communist Cuba and an antagonist of the United States. In November 2007, Lula defended Chávez as the democratic choice of his people. He said: "There is no risk with Chávez." Expressing his admiration for Chávez, he said "Only thanks to Chávez’s leadership, the people [of Venezuela] have had extraordinary achievements," and that in 2008 that Chávez was "the best president the country has had in 100 years." Brazilians had a different view than Lula in 2010, however, as only 13% had at least some confidence in Chávez, while seven-in-ten had little or no confidence in him.