Russia’s reaction to the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been cautious, with Moscow weighing up the potential geopolitical benefits and opportunities of the U.S.′ unilateral action against the loss of an important regional ally in Latin America.
Moscow initially condemned U.S. strikes on Venezuela on Saturday, and the subsequent capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Russia’s foreign ministry decried the U.S.′ “aggressive actions,” saying they constituted “an unacceptable infringement on the sovereignty of an independent state. However, the Kremlin has not issued an official response on the ousting, nor has Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Maduro was an ally of President Putin and Venezuela has long-standing ties with Russia; Caracas backed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and as well as deep energy ties and military cooperation, both countries had a shared vested interest in counteracting the U.S.′ geopolitical, military and economic influence in the region.
Still, Maduro’s removal is not all bad news for Russia, and Moscow is likely to be looking at ways it can leverage the crisis in Venezuela to its own benefit.
For a start, the Venezuela crisis comes at a delicate moment in Moscow’s own relations with Washington. It’s likely to be wary of burning bridges with the White House at a time when it’s trying to curry favor with the administration to get the most favorable terms from a prospective Ukraine peace deal.
