The Kremlin warns Trump not to make any "fatal mistakes" in Venezuela

BarcelonaThe specter of a US invasion of Venezuela is increasingly worrying the international community, due to the potential violation of a third country's sovereignty and the effects such a military action could have on international navigation. If yesterday Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged the UN to take action to prevent a "bloodbath" In Latin America, today it was Moscow's turn. Driven more by the second motive (international shipping), the Kremlin issued a warning this Thursday at the White House, urging Donald Trump not to make a "fatal mistake" in Venezuela, referring to a possible military incursion that the US administration itself has hinted at in recent weeksThe Russian Foreign Ministry has affirmed that Venezuela is a friend of Russia and hopes that Washington will not enter into a situation with "unforeseeable consequences for the entire Western Hemisphere" regarding international maritime trade. "We hope that the administration of Donald Trump, which is characterized by a rational and pragmatic approach, will not make a fatal mistake," the ministry stated in a press release. It also quoted revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar, famous for liberating much of South America from centuries of Spanish rule, as arguing that every nation has the right to choose its own rulers and that other countries should respect this. Russia has reaffirmed "Russia's solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the face of the trials they are experiencing" and supports "the course of action taken by the Maduro government to protect national interests and the sovereignty of the homeland," the ministry maintains, but insists that it is necessary to normalize dialogue between Washington and Venezuela. The Maduro regime's close relationship with the Kremlin, driven by the pursuit of alliances outside Western hegemony, has been particularly strengthened since 2006, when—following the US embargo—it increased its arms purchases from Putin's regime.

Tanker Blockade

After months of indiscriminate bombings of alleged drug-running boats In response to the drug trafficking operations targeting the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans (which have already left 95 dead since September), the Trump administration on Tuesday ordered a "complete blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, further tightening the pressure campaign against the Nicolás Maduro regime. "Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America," Trump wrote on social media. "The surprise for them will be very big," he added. The move, which Caracas interpreted as a "grotesque threat," could hamper Venezuela's oil exports, the main engine of the country's economy. Indeed, the Maduro regime is entirely dependent on tankers to export its oil to global markets, and Washington is exploiting that weakness. Earlier this month, more than 30 ships operating in Venezuela had been sanctioned by the United States, according to the independent tracking service Tanker Trackers.