By: Staff Writer
January 28, 2022
A Venezuelan politician said that Russia cosying up to Venezuela “of course has” sovereignty risk issues as he braces for a country already torn apart by a political power struggle to be even more decimated by a geopolitical power struggle on the other side of the world.
Reported in the RT, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed with the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to develop partnerships in a range of areas, including stepping up military collaboration, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced.
Speaking on Wednesday in an appearance in front of the Duma – Russia’s parliament – Lavrov reported that Putin had talked recently with the leaders of the three Central American countries, and that they had agreed to work together to strengthen their strategic cooperation.
Armando Armas, congressman for district four of Anzoátegui estate, Venezuela, living in exile out of the country, told Caribbean Magazine Plus that the recent move that has led Russia to ramp up its presence in the Caribbean and Central America poses tremendous sovereignty risks for the region.
Mr Armas said: “Russia has already been here in the region. They’ve been building this (partnership) up for years now.”
Whether or not Venezuelans approve of more Russian ties at a time when tensions between Russia and the United States are at an all time high due to the conflict brewing in the Ukraine, Mr Armas added: “This is proof that our situation goes beyond what Venezuelans think or want. This is a loss of sovereignty propelled by those who actually accuse other nations of being ‘imperialists’.
“It of course has sovereignty risks for Venezuela. It has for many years now. Militarily, financially, geographically, etc…”
“President Putin held recent telephone conversations with his colleagues from these three governments, with whom we are very close and friendly, and they agreed to look at further ways to deepen our strategic partnership in all areas, with no exceptions,” Lavrov stated. He noted that Russia already has close relations with these countries in many spheres, “including military and military-technical.”
Asked about the prospects of increased military cooperation with the three countries, Lavrov answered, “for the immediate future, we are counting on regular meetings of the corresponding committees.”
Earlier this month, Moscow’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov was asked about the possibility of sending troops to Latin America, and he refused to rule out the possibility. “It’s the American style to have several options for its foreign and military policy,” he said. “That’s the cornerstone of that country’s powerful influence in the world.”
“The president of Russia has spoken multiple times on the subject of what the measures could be, for example involving the Russian Navy, if things are set on the course of provoking Russia, and further increasing the military pressure on us by the US,” he went on. “We don’t want that. The diplomats must come to an agreement.”
The US has gone on record stating that it will “act decisively” if Russia deploys military to Cuba or Venezuela, which means that US interventions in those countries are an all but certainty if tensions between Russia and the Ukraine do not subside.