Russia and its close ally Belarus reached out to Venezuela’s embattled leader Nicolas Maduro on Thursday as President Trump escalates efforts to push him from power, raising the prospect that Maduro could seek refuge abroad
Russia and its close ally Belarus reached out to Venezuela’s embattled leader Nicolas Maduro on Thursday as US President Donald Trump escalates efforts to push him from power, raising the prospect that Maduro could seek refuge abroad.
In a phone call to the Venezuelan leader on Thursday, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin “reaffirmed his support for the policy of N Maduro’s government, aimed at protecting national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure.”
According to Reuters, citing sources, Maduro told Trump in a November 21 phone call that he was willing to leave Venezuela if he and his family were granted full legal amnesty.
On Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held his second meeting in 17 days with Jesus Rafael Salazar Velazquez, Venezuela’s ambassador to Moscow.
Belarusian state news agency Belta reported that Lukashenko told the envoy on November 25 that Maduro was always welcome in Belarus and it was time for him to visit.
Lukashenko also reminded Velazquez that they had previously agreed to “coordinate certain matters” with Maduro.
“We agreed that, after resolving certain issues, you would find time to come to me and meet again so we could make the appropriate decision, which is within our competence. And if necessary, we will then involve the president of Venezuela.”
US carries out military build-up in Caribbean
The Trump administration does not recognise Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013, as Venezuela’s legitimate president.
Maduro claimed to have won reelection last year, a vote the US and other Western governments dismissed as a sham, while independent observers said the opposition won overwhelmingly.
In recent months, Trump has ramped up pressure on Venezuela, including a massive military build-up in the Caribbean.
In an interview with Politico this week, he said Maduro’s “days are numbered,” while declining to specify whether he would send US troops into the country.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday, “We hope that the White House will manage to prevent a further slide into a full-scale conflict, which threatens to have unpredictable consequences for the entire Western Hemisphere.”
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a long-time ally of Venezuela, has also engaged with the Trump administration this year after years of being shunned by Washington over his human rights record and support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump has begun easing US sanctions on Belarus and last month appointed special envoy John Coale to negotiate with Lukashenko on the release of political prisoners.
With inputs from agencies
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