Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela voice support for Russia amid armed mutiny
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The Presidents of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, underscore their support of the Russian people and President, Vladimir Putin, urging the importance of unity.
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Members of the Wagner Group military company guard an area at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023 (AP Photo)
Following the unfolding of events in Russia, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has expressed solidarity and support to the people of Russia and its President, Vladimir Putin, as the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an armed mutiny against Russia's military leadership
"I express the solidarity of the people and government of Cuba to the respected President Putin and the brotherly people of the Russian Federation, in the face of attempts to provoke an armed rebellion in the country," reaffirming that Cuba is "fully convinced that unity and constitutional order will prevail," Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
Expreso la solidaridad del pueblo y gobierno de #Cuba al estimado presidente Putin y al hermano pueblo de la Federación de Rusia, ante intentos de provocar una rebelión armada en la nación. Tenemos total convicción de que prevalecerá la unidad y el orden constitucional.
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) June 25, 2023
Earlier in the day, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega highlighted that Russia is currently faced with “times of great challenges to the Glory of Russia's Character, Identity, Wisdom and Strengths,” and expressed support to Russia from the Nicaraguan people.
In turn, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also voiced support and solidarity with Russia's people and government. Maduro, on Twitter, wrote: "From the victorious Campo de Carabobo, we send our embrace of solidarity and support to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, who has been able to face an attempted betrayal and civil war, guaranteeing victory and Peace for his People. Venezuela is with you in brotherhood and true friendship!"
Desde el Campo victorioso de Carabobo, enviamos nuestro abrazo de solidaridad y apoyo al Presidente de la Federación de Rusia, Vladimir Putin, quien ha sabido enfrentar un intento de traición y guerra civil, garantizando la victoria y la Paz de su Pueblo. ¡Venezuela está con… pic.twitter.com/UStnie4UV5
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 25, 2023
In an official communiqué, shared by Yvan Gil, it was underscored that Venezuela and its people “reject any change of power or armed uprising by violent and unconstitutional means, as well as the use of external forces that bet on a civil war, attacking the sovereignty and self-determination of the Peoples, violating the political stability and social peace of the Russian Federation.”
Mutiny reaches end
On Saturday night, the Kremlin has confirmed that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus as part of the deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who offered to mediate, to put an end to the armed mutiny that Prigozhin led against Russia's military leadership. Furthermore, the criminal investigation against Prigozhin will be dropped, even though the Kremlin has announced that it does not know Prigozhin's whereabouts at the moment.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to Lukashenko's offer since he had known Prigozhin personally for around 20 years and that Putin's word can be considered a guarantee for allowing Prigozhin to depart to Belarus.
"A criminal case [against Prigozhin] will be terminated and he will leave for Belarus. If you ask, what is the guarantee that Prigozhin could leave for Belarus, it is the word of the Russian president," Peskov told reporters.
After Peskov called today's events "tragic", he expressed the Kremlin's appreciation for Lukashenko's efforts, which resulted in avoiding further losses and averted internal confrontation.
"There was the highest goal of avoiding bloodshed, internal confrontation and clashes with unpredictable results. It is for these goals that Lukashenko's mediation efforts were made, and President Putin made a relevant decision on that," he told journalists, adding that the phone call between the two presidents was sincere and "very constructive".
Furthermore, according to the spokesperson, fighters who did not partake in the mutiny will sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry and vowed that those who did participate won't be prosecuted in recognition of their service.
Read more: Destabilizing Russia, starting civil war has failed: Intel chief
