Russia welcomed the appointment of Delcy Rodriguez as interim president of Venezuela, believing that this decision aims to preserve peace and stability in the country in the face of what she calls "blatant neo-colonial threats" and "foreign armed aggression".
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that Venezuela must be able to "determine its own destiny without any destructive external interference," while expressing Moscow's "unwavering solidarity" with the Venezuelan people and authorities. The statement did not explicitly mention the United States.
This stance comes after the capture of the Venezuelan president. Nicolas Maduro by American forces, then his transfer to the United States, where he pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and asserted that he remained the legitimate leader of the country.
Moscow stated its support for the efforts of the Caracas authorities to protect national sovereignty and assured that it would continue to provide "the necessary support" to the Venezuelan government. Maduro's ouster constitutes the second major setback for a close Russian ally in just over a year, following the overthrow of the Syrian president. Bashar al-Assad late 2024.
According to a Russian source quoted by Reuters, if the American president Donald Trump Moscow intends to reaffirm a form of Monroe Doctrine and believes it, too, has a right to a sphere of influence. Russia, engaged in the war in Ukraine since February 2022, is simultaneously holding discussions with the American administration, while Washington is pushing for a resolution to the conflict.
The Chairperson Vladimir PutinHe, who has so far refrained from publicly criticizing Donald Trump since his return to the White House, is seeking to revive bilateral relations and economic exchanges between the two countries. He has not yet publicly commented on the ouster of Nicolás Maduro.
