US forces captured the leader of the South American nation, Nicolas Maduro, early Saturday
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with Venezuelan Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, conveying solidarity with the South American nation’s people against US aggression.
The discussion occurred on Saturday, soon after US President Donald Trump declared that American special forces had captured and removed the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, following extensive strikes on Venezuela.
“Lavrov conveyed steadfast solidarity with the Venezuelan people in confronting armed aggression,” the Foreign Ministry stated, noting that Moscow would continue to back Venezuela’s policy of protecting its sovereignty and national interests.
Lavrov and Rodriguez “voiced their support for averting further escalation and for seeking a resolution to the situation via dialogue,” the ministry reported. The two sides also affirmed their dedication to advancing the strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Venezuela.
According to the Venezuelan Constitution, Rodriguez is the designated successor should the president become unable to perform his duties. However, Trump has emphasized that the US will play a role in determining who governs the oil-rich South American nation.
“We can’t risk allowing someone else to run the country and simply continue from where [Maduro] stopped,” he said during a Saturday phone interview with Fox News. “So we’re making that decision now.”
Washington has consistently claimed the Venezuelan president is illegitimate and had previously posted a $50 million reward for information resulting in his arrest.
The US Department of Justice has charged Maduro, along with his wife and son, with allegedly taking control of Venezuela and its institutions illegally “to ship thousands of tons of cocaine” to the United States.
Moscow has called on Washington to free the detained president and his wife.
“We stress the necessity of establishing conditions for settling any outstanding issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.