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The Government of Russia condemned what it called an "armed aggression" by the United States against Venezuela this Saturday, following President Donald Trump's confirmation of the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale military incursion launched in the early hours of January 3.
In an official statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow expressed its "deep concern" and condemned U.S. actions, asserting that the reasons put forth by Washington are "unfounded" and stem more from "ideological hostility" than from reasons of pragmatism or diplomacy.
“Latin America must continue to be a zone of peace, as proclaimed in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive interference, much less military,” stated the statement.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reaffirmed its "solidarity with the Venezuelan people" and its support for the "Bolivarian leadership" that Maduro has led until now, emphasizing that the country has the right to protect its sovereignty against "external pressures."
Russia also supported the proposal from Caracas and other Latin American governments to convene an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to address the crisis.
“We are willing to support all parties in the search for solutions through dialogue,” the text added.
The Russian Embassy in Caracas assured that it continues to operate normally and maintains permanent contact with local authorities and Russian citizens in Venezuela. So far, there are no reports of Russian nationals affected by the conflict.
In a second message, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that its government is "extremely concerned about reports that Nicolás Maduro and his wife were forcibly removed from the country during the aggressive actions of the U.S. If this did occur, it is a serious violation of the sovereignty of an independent state."
President Donald Trump reported that Maduro and his wife were "captured and taken out of Venezuela" as part of the "Bolivarian Freedom Operation," which aims to "restore democracy and end the criminal Chavista regime."
The U.S. president will hold a press conference this Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago to provide more details about the operation.
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