The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, María Zajárova, announced this Saturday that the Russian Foreign Ministry will soon issue an official statement regarding the military attack by the United States on Venezuela, an action that has generated a wave of international reactions.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia will soon publish a statement regarding Washington's aggression against Caracas," Zajárova informed through her Telegram channel, according to Prensa Latina.
The Venezuelan government declared a national state of emergency and placed its armed forces on high alert, according to a decree signed by Nicolás Maduro following the U.S. offensive. The Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Iván Gil, confirmed the measure and urged the population to "mobilize to repel imperialist aggression."
For his part, the Russian ambassador in Caracas, Sergei Melik-Bagdasarov, assured that the Moscow embassy continues to operate "at full capacity" and fulfilling its diplomatic functions. The diplomat indicated that smoke was observed in some areas of the capital, but that the Russian headquarters "has not suffered any damage."
Trump announces the capture of Nicolás Maduro
In a message posted on his social media, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, stated that U.S. forces "captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife" during a large-scale military operation.
"Maduro, along with his wife, has been transferred out of the country," wrote Trump, who also announced that he will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. (local time) at Mar-a-Lago to provide more details about the operation.
So far, there is no independent confirmation from the State Department, the Pentagon, or international agencies regarding the capture of the Venezuelan leader.
The statement, however, has caused a strong political and media impact in the region, while new official communications from both Washington and Moscow are expected.
The situation keeps Latin America and the world on edge, given the possibility of a diplomatic escalation between the United States, Russia, and the countries allied with Maduro's regime.
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