Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro amid the US military build-up in the Caribbean and America’s escalating tensions with Caracas.
Putin “expressed solidarity” with the people of Venezuela and reaffirmed his support for the Maduro government’s resolve to defend national interests and sovereignty against foreign pressure, as per Kremlin.
Both Putin and Maduro also expressed their willingness to enhance bilateral ties during a phone call, confirmed Caracas, adding that the two leaders spoke about the ongoing situation in the Caribbean waters and affirmed their intent to strengthen “the strategic, strong, and growing nature of bilateral relations”.
This is the first time in months that the Russian President has sided with the Maduro government, while expressing commitment to strengthen their strategic partnership treaty, which the two countries had signed in June.
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The Venezuelan government’s statement added that the Russian leader supported Venezuela since he believes that US pressure on the country to indict its drug mafia will only deteriorate the situation, especially with Caracas having already expressed its readiness to resolve the issues at hand.
The two leaders spoke for the first time after US forces seized a Guyana-flagged vessel. named, Skipper, for transporting crude oil to Iran and its proxy group, Hezbollah.
US President Donald Trump has deployed a small naval fleet to the Caribbean in a bid to prevent drugs from entering the US mainland.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of harbouring and heading the alleged Cartel de los Soles, and called him a “drug lord”, allegations that Maduro denies, saying his government has no ties to drug trafficking. The Venezuelan leader vowed to defend his country against a potential invasion.
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