Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday denounced the US military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, as tensions mount between the United States and Venezuela. Addressing a virtual BRICS summit, Lula said “the presence of the armed forces of the largest power in the Caribbean Sea is a factor of tension,” according to a translation of his speech on the YouTube channel of the South African presidency. Last week the United States accused Venezuela of buzzing its ships in the Caribbean following a deadly US strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat. (AFP)