The Russian Foreign Ministry has reportedly begun evacuating the families of its diplomats from Venezuela as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s hold on power grows increasingly fragile.
Russia is one of Maduro’s most important allies and has continually shown solidarity with the Latin American nation during the increasing pressure campaign directed against it by President Donald Trump. Outside of its public rhetoric, however, Moscow seems to be growing increasingly concerned with the situation. A European intelligence source told the Associated Press that Russia’s Foreign Ministry began evacuating the wives and children of its diplomats working in Venezuela, presumably in preparation for the situation deteriorating further.
The official revealed that Russian Foreign Ministry officials assess the situation in Venezuela in “very grim tones.”
Moscow and Caracas enjoy a fairly close relationship, having recently ratified the Russia-Venezuela Strategic Partnership Treaty and providing mutual sanctions relief. However, Russia’s options for assisting its ally if Trump decides to take military action are limited, as its military is focused on the war in Ukraine, and it has few means of projecting power into the Western Hemisphere, even in the best of circumstances.
Analysts have noted that the flailing Maduro regime, with little legitimacy and an imploding economy, ranks at the bottom of Russia and China‘s priorities. Russia’s need to remain cordial with the Trump administration to try to negotiate an end to the costly war in Ukraine remains its priority with Washington.
Washington appears to believe the same. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia’s relationship with Venezuela isn’t playing into the U.S.’s calculus.
“We’re not concerned about an escalation with Russia, with regards to Venezuela,” Rubio told reporters. “We’ve always expected them to provide rhetorical support for the Maduro regime … [but] it’s not a factor in how we consider this whole thing.”
Despite this, Russia has continued to provide rhetorical support for Caracas. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone call with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Monday, during which they expressed mutual support.
“The ministers expressed their deep concern over the escalation of Washington’s actions in the Caribbean Sea, which could have serious consequences for the region and threaten international shipping,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said of the call.
RUSSIA WARNS OF ‘UNPREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCES’ TO US OPERATIONS IN VENEZUELA: ‘FATAL MISTAKE’
“The Russian side reaffirmed its full support for and solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and people in the current context,” it added.
Russian warnings against further escalation last week were brushed aside by Washington, with the Trump administration following through on its threat to blockade oil tankers carrying Venezuelan oil. The United States has seized several, while over 100 suspected drug traffickers have been killed in kinetic strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean since Sept. 2.
