Six international airlines had suspended flights to Venezuela over the risk of possible US military strikes when an ultra-long-haul executive jet from São Paulo, Brazil, landed calmly in Caracas. On board that flight on November 23 was the Brazilian meat tycoon Joesley Batista, a figure twice jailed for corruption and whose companies have a long record of environmental violations. After a meeting with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Batista returned to Brazil the following day.
The visit occurred just three days after former US President Donald Trump demanded Maduro step down. Batista’s aim was reportedly to convince the Venezuelan leader to do so. However, his efforts appear to have had no effect, as Maduro remains in power and tensions with the US have escalated further, including the seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast and the expansion of US sanctions.
Batista’s Unofficial Diplomatic Role
The revelation of Batista’s trip to Caracas has left many questioning why a Brazilian businessperson with a controversial past could serve as an unofficial emissary for Trump amid the possibility of an unprecedented US intervention. This whirlwind visit marked Batista’s first foray into diplomacy, yet he is credited as a major force behind the rapprochement between Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
After Lula endorsed Kamala Harris, Trump’s second term began with essentially no relationship with Brazil. The US then imposed an additional 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in retaliation for what was perceived as a “witch-hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of attempting a coup.
Business Influence in Political Relations
For months, Brazilian diplomats and senior government officials attempted, without success, to contact their counterparts in the White House. Everything changed after the UN General Assembly in New York, when Trump unexpectedly praised Lula. It later emerged that Brazilian business leaders, with Batista playing a leading role, had been lobbying the US administration to ease the tariffs.
“I’m doing myself a disservice saying this, because I worked really hard to bring those tariffs down, but it was 99% Batista,” said one of the other four business leaders who took part in the talks.
While others managed at most to secure meetings with senior aides such as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Batista held at least one meeting with the US president. He argued that the tariffs were hurting US consumers and reportedly told Trump that they were, in fact, boosting Lula’s popularity, potentially aiding his re-election in 2026.
Historical Context and Batista’s Business Ties
Trump and Lula finally met, and in November, the US announced the removal of most tariffs, including those on beef, Batista’s core business. This decision notably omitted any mention of Bolsonaro. According to Raquel Landim, a Brazilian journalist and author of a book about Batista and his brother Wesley, Batista had previously tried to gain access to other US administrations without success.
One of JBS’s companies in the US, Pilgrim’s Pride, was the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2023 inaugural committee, contributing $5 million. Landim suggests that Trump is highly susceptible to the types of connections Batista cultivates in Brazil and Venezuela.
“My sense is that Trump is highly susceptible to the same kinds of connections Batista cultivates in Brazil or in Venezuela,” Landim said.
In 2015, Batista secured a $2.1 billion deal to supply half of all beef consumed in Venezuela, accepting a verbal assurance from the regime, which later collapsed after repeated Venezuelan defaults. Despite this, Batista maintained strong relationships with local political figures, including Maduro’s “number two,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
The Broader Implications of Corporate Diplomacy
The Batistas’ fall from grace began when police revealed that state loans enabling their companies’ expansion were secured through millions in bribes to politicians. Joesley and Wesley were jailed and forced to step aside from their companies but were released shortly afterward. They have since been regaining political clout, appearing alongside Lula at public events.
For years, JBS has faced fines and accusations of buying cattle from farms involved in illegal deforestation. Despite these controversies, Batista’s influence in international affairs has grown, with some seeing him as Lula’s “chief broker on international affairs.”
Retired ambassador Rubens Barbosa noted, “You no longer see diplomats in these conversations, only businesspeople. This is becoming normal.”
Barbosa views Batista’s actions as part of a broader trend, particularly in the US, where traditional diplomacy is increasingly being displaced by corporate lobbying. This shift raises questions about the future of international relations and the role of business leaders in shaping political landscapes.
As Batista continues to navigate the complex web of diplomacy and business, his actions may set a precedent for others, highlighting the evolving nature of global diplomacy in the 21st century.
