Putin Offers 'Solidarity' for Venezuela12/12 06:14

   

   MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "solidarity with 
the Venezuelan people" on Thursday amid growing tensions between Venezuela's 
leader, Nicols Maduro, and the Trump administration.

   The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin spoke with Maduro by phone and 
reaffirmed his support for Venezuelan leader's policy of "protecting national 
interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure."

   The call comes a day after American forces seized an oil tanker off the 
coast of Venezuela, the latest tactic from U.S. President Donald Trump's 
administration to ramp up pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with 
narcoterrorism in the United States.

   During testimony before Congress on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary 
Kristi Noem linked the seizure of the vessel to the Trump administration's 
anti-drug efforts in the region. The U.S. has built up its largest military 
presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on 
alleged drug-smuggling boats.

   Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to 
force him from office. Venezuela's government said the tanker seizure 
"constitutes a blatant theft and an act of international piracy."

   The South American country's government said that Putin had "categorically 
reaffirmed his support" for Maduro in their call.

   It said in a statement that Putin had told Maduro that direct communication 
between Moscow and Caracas would "remain permanently open" and Russia would 
continue to support Venezuela "in its struggle to assert its sovereignty, 
international law, and peace throughout Latin America."

   Like his predecessor, the late President Hugo Chvez, Maduro has forged a 
close relationship with Russia, which has offered Venezuela help, ranging from 
coronavirus vaccines to the design of a cryptocurrency. In 2018, it also 
briefly dispatched a pair of nuclear-capable Tu-160 bombers to the airport 
outside Venezuela's capital amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions.

   Last year, two Russian naval ships docked in the Venezuelan port of La 
Guaira after exercises in the Atlantic Ocean that Moscow said were to "show the 
flag" in remote, important regions.

   In Belarus, authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, a Putin ally, met 
with the Venezuelan ambassador to Russia, Jesus Rafael Salazar Velzquez, on 
Thursday, for the second time in just over two weeks.

   Details of what was discussed were not revealed, but Belarus' state news 
agency Belta quoted Lukashenko as saying that the diplomat was expected to 
discuss "certain issues" with Maduro after their first meeting on Nov. 25 and 
to travel to Belarus again, so that they could reach "a certain decision."

   During the November meeting, Lukashenko extended an invitation to Maduro to 
visit Belarus, and said that he would try and find the time to visit Venezuela, 
too.