Post by scumbuster on Dec 24, 2019 12:31:52 GMT -5
Russian and Cuban Military in Venezuela, Guaido Confirms
CARACAS -- Juan Guaido, the president of the National Assembly who in January became the acting president of Venezuela, reiterated on Tuesday that there are Cuban and Russian military in the oil-rich nation.
“There are Russian military (members) in Venezuela, and we expect an international commotion because of the presence of any Russian or Cuban military…because we have said that we Venezuelans can’t do it alone,” Guaido said, meaning getting rid of the Russia-supported Nicolas Maduro regime.
Guaido began pointing out the unlawful foreign military presence in April.
Ever since, and after the US expressed serious concerns about the perceived meddling, Russia has sent mixed signals, promising to withdraw military advisors working on anti-aircraft defense systems and fighter jets purchased by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez one day, and sending the world’s largest nuclear-capable bomber on an official state visit to Venezuela the next.
Meanwhile, Maduro has allowed Russian oil companies such as Rosneft more and more leeway inside Venezuela’s oil industry, and Rosneft has taken over imports and exports of Venezuela oil, though oil production has fallen to under 700,000 barrels a day from 3.5 million bpd when Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998.
Guaido made the statement only days after a scandal broke out on social media during the weekend, regarding pictures of what seemed to be foreign personnel wearing Venezuelan military uniforms, walking down a red-dirt clandestine landing strip and exiting a Venezuelan military plane posted by Manuel Gonzalez, an opposition lawmaker from oil and gold rich Bolivar state.
The Maduro regime on Monday renewed attacks against the opposition-held National Assembly, as the Regime appointed Supreme Court announced it would end parliamentary immunity of four opposition lawmakers -- unlawfully, experts say, since the nation's Constitution reserves that right only to the National Assembly to decide. On Tuesday, Guaido’s foreign minister, Julio Borges, met in Washington with officials from the Trump Administration to explain the threats against the legislature and request support.
The U.S. has been ramping up criticism of the Maduro regime.
Monday, U.S. Southern Command’s top commander, Admiral Craig Faller, described Venezuela in a television interview as a lawless country where drug traffickers can do as they please (“The Maduro law”), one day after vessels from SouthCom and Dutch Navy counterparts caught a shipment of 1.4 tons of cocaine that originated in Venezuela.
Venezuela has been a major client state for Russia since the days of Hugo Chavez, when armaments were acquired and myriad cooperation agreements, in key areas such as gold and oil were signed. Under Maduro, that role has only expanded, with the Regime so desperate for Russian support that they have gifted Russia's Rosneft gas fields free for decades and made Russian investments tax free.
www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2486914&CategoryId=10717
CARACAS -- Juan Guaido, the president of the National Assembly who in January became the acting president of Venezuela, reiterated on Tuesday that there are Cuban and Russian military in the oil-rich nation.
“There are Russian military (members) in Venezuela, and we expect an international commotion because of the presence of any Russian or Cuban military…because we have said that we Venezuelans can’t do it alone,” Guaido said, meaning getting rid of the Russia-supported Nicolas Maduro regime.
Guaido began pointing out the unlawful foreign military presence in April.
Ever since, and after the US expressed serious concerns about the perceived meddling, Russia has sent mixed signals, promising to withdraw military advisors working on anti-aircraft defense systems and fighter jets purchased by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez one day, and sending the world’s largest nuclear-capable bomber on an official state visit to Venezuela the next.
Meanwhile, Maduro has allowed Russian oil companies such as Rosneft more and more leeway inside Venezuela’s oil industry, and Rosneft has taken over imports and exports of Venezuela oil, though oil production has fallen to under 700,000 barrels a day from 3.5 million bpd when Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998.
Guaido made the statement only days after a scandal broke out on social media during the weekend, regarding pictures of what seemed to be foreign personnel wearing Venezuelan military uniforms, walking down a red-dirt clandestine landing strip and exiting a Venezuelan military plane posted by Manuel Gonzalez, an opposition lawmaker from oil and gold rich Bolivar state.
The Maduro regime on Monday renewed attacks against the opposition-held National Assembly, as the Regime appointed Supreme Court announced it would end parliamentary immunity of four opposition lawmakers -- unlawfully, experts say, since the nation's Constitution reserves that right only to the National Assembly to decide. On Tuesday, Guaido’s foreign minister, Julio Borges, met in Washington with officials from the Trump Administration to explain the threats against the legislature and request support.
The U.S. has been ramping up criticism of the Maduro regime.
Monday, U.S. Southern Command’s top commander, Admiral Craig Faller, described Venezuela in a television interview as a lawless country where drug traffickers can do as they please (“The Maduro law”), one day after vessels from SouthCom and Dutch Navy counterparts caught a shipment of 1.4 tons of cocaine that originated in Venezuela.
Venezuela has been a major client state for Russia since the days of Hugo Chavez, when armaments were acquired and myriad cooperation agreements, in key areas such as gold and oil were signed. Under Maduro, that role has only expanded, with the Regime so desperate for Russian support that they have gifted Russia's Rosneft gas fields free for decades and made Russian investments tax free.
www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2486914&CategoryId=10717