Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, requested military aid from Russia, China and Iran amid growing tension with the US, which has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean, according to US government documents obtained by the US newspaper, Washington Post.
According to the document, Maduro sent letters to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, asking for aerial military support, such as aircraft restoration and maintenance, missile acquisition, financing plan and radar detection systems.
Contact with Iran would have been made through the Venezuelan minister, Ramón Velásquez, who coordinated shipments of drones and Iranian military equipment, in addition to requesting GPS jammers, detection equipment and long-range drones.
The requests would have come during negotiations for an official visit to Tehran.
Moscow
The letter sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin was reportedly taken by an advisor during an official visit to the Russian capital in October.
In the document, Maduro would have requested:
- The restoration of Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MK2 aircraft;
- Overhaul of eight engines and five radars;
- Acquisition of 14 sets of ;
- Unspecified “logistical support”;
- A three-year financing plan through Russian state conglomerate Rostec
While the Kremlin did not comment directly on Maduro’s letter, it did say that Moscow “supports Venezuela in defending its national sovereignty” and is “ready to adequately respond to requests from its partners in light of emerging threats.”
Russia, which has maintained historic ties with Caracas since Hugo Chávez’s government, continues to operate joint projects with the Venezuelan regime, including a Kalashnikov ammunition factory and joint ventures in the oil and gas sector.
China
In another letter, Maduro reportedly asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries to face what he called “escalation between the United States and Venezuela”.
According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, the Venezuelan requested that Chinese companies accelerate the production of radar detection systems in order to expand the country’s air defense capacity.
The Venezuelan leader would also have framed the US action as an ideological aggression not only against Caracas, but against China as well, due to the countries’ “shared ideology”.
There is still no information about Beijing’s possible response to the Venezuelan request.
Tensions in the Caribbean
Maduro’s requests come amid an increase in the United States’ military presence in the Caribbean. Washington claims that its objective is to combat drug trafficking, but Caracas interprets the measure as an attempt at “regime change”.
The Wall Street Journal also revealed that the Trump administration would be weighing in, which could represent a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries.
Later, the US president even amid reports that the country could expand the campaign against drug trafficking in the region.
In response, Maduro ordered military exercises on the coast and stated that Venezuela “will not accept foreign provocations”.
