Russia Promises Full Support for Venezuela
JAKARTA - Russia expressed full support for Venezuela, as the southern American country faces a blockade of tanker ships sanctioned by US forces stationed in the Caribbean.
The promise from Moscow comes ahead of a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday to discuss the escalating crisis between Caracas and Washington.
In a telephone conversation, the Russian and Venezuelan foreign ministers condemned US actions, which included attacks on ships suspected of being involved in drug trafficking and the recent seizure of two oil tankers.
"The ministers expressed their deep concern over Washington's increased actions in the Caribbean Sea, which could have serious consequences for the region and threaten international shipping," the Russian Foreign Ministry said of the phone conversation between Sergey Lavrov and his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil, reported Al Arabiya from AFP (23/12).
"The Russian side reaffirms its full support and solidarity with the leadership and people of Venezuela in the current context," the statement added.
Moscow's statement said Lavrov and Gil agreed in their conversation to "coordinate their actions on the international stage, in particular at the UN, to ensure respect for state sovereignty and the absence of interference in internal affairs."
Meanwhile, Gil in a Telegram post has discussed "aggression and flagrant violations of international law committed in the Caribbean: attacks on ships, extrajudicial executions, and illegal acts of piracy committed by the government of the United States" with Lavrov.
Gil said Lavrov had confirmed "Moscow's full support in the face of hostilities against our country."
Yesterday, Gil also read a letter signed by President Maduro on state television, addressed to UN member states, warning that the US blockade "will affect oil and energy supplies" globally.
US forces have launched attacks on vessels Washington claims, without providing evidence, are smuggling drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September.
More than 100 people have died - some of them fishermen, according to their families and governments.
US President Donald Trump on December 16 also announced a blockade against "sanctioned oil vessels" sailing to and from Venezuela.
He claimed Caracas under President Nicolas Maduro was using oil money to fund "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping."
The White House leader also accused Venezuela of taking "all of our oil", in a statement that appeared to refer to the nationalization of the country's oil sector, and said: "we want it back."
Caracas, in turn, fears Washington is seeking regime change, and accuses Washington of "international piracy."