Caracas says the military maneuvers, which include the world’s largest aircraft carrier, seek ‘regime change’ to seize the Caribbean country’s vast oil reserves
The presidents of Venezuela, , and Turkey, , spoke this Saturday (6) by telephone about the military deployment of the United States in the Caribbean, the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. They referred to the sending, since August, of a fleet of ships and fighters to the Caribbean. The American president, , defends the operations, arguing that they focus on combating drug traffickers who flood his country with drugs.
Caracas says the military maneuvers, which include the world’s largest aircraft carrier, seek “regime change” to seize the Caribbean country’s vast oil reserves. During the conversation, “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deep concern about the threats that have recently loomed over Venezuela, in particular due to military deployment and actions of different nature that aim to alter the peace and security of the Caribbean”, indicated the statement from Caracas.
Turkey, along with Iran, China and Russia, is one of President Nicolás Maduro’s main international allies. According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan highlighted that “it is important to keep the channels of dialogue between the United States and Venezuela open” and expressed his hope that “tension will be reduced as quickly as possible”.
Trump and Maduro had a telephone conversation 12 days ago, without revealing details. The Venezuelan president has insisted on dialogue while Washington intensifies pressure. Maduro “explained in detail the illegal, disproportionate, unnecessary and even extravagant nature of these threats, making it clear that Venezuela continues to work firmly for economic growth, national peace and political stability”, added the text from Caracas.
Maduro and Erdogan also discussed the massive suspension of international airline flights following a security alert issued by the American aviation authority due to the increase in military activity near Venezuela.
“They agreed on the importance of reestablishing, as soon as possible, the Caracas-Istanbul-Caracas air connection via Turkish Airlines, which will allow it to continue transporting thousands of tourists and investors who use this route every week to strengthen ties between both nations.”
Following Maduro’s proclamation for a third term in July 2024, Erdogan demonstrated his support. The Venezuelan opposition denounced fraud in these elections and claimed the victory of exiled Edmundo González Urrutia.
In 2018, Erdogan traveled to Venezuela to support Maduro after the United States and around fifty other governments failed to recognize his first re-election, citing fraud. At the time, he promised support in the face of the sanctions imposed by Washington.
*With information from AFP
