Russia warns against external provocation attempts in Venezuela

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Aug 2024 13:36
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Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov calls on internal and external political entities to avert from attempts to destabilize the country.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro smiles during a press conference at the Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, August 2, 2024. (AP)

Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov told Sputnik that as the people of Venezuela are seeking peace, all political parties must now abstain from any provocations and attempts to upset the country's stability.

"The people of Venezuela are seeking peace. It has been marked by both: those who voted for [Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro and those who supported the opposition," he said.

"Currently, all the political forces inside and outside Venezuela have to refrain from provocations that could destabilize the situation in the country," the diplomat added.

When Maduro won his re-election on July 29, the ambassador noted that Maduro's victory would strengthen his government's position globally. He confirmed that Russia will continue to develop strategic partnership relations with Caracas.

Venezuela and Russia have enjoyed a strong relationship since the early 2000s, bolstered during Hugo Chavez's presidency and maintained under Nicolas Maduro. The partnership has been marked by extensive cooperation in various sectors; including energy, where Russian companies like Rosneft have made substantial investments in Venezuela's oil industry.

The two countries have also collaborated on military and defense matters, with Russia supplying Venezuela with military equipment and technology.

Opposition claims and US support

Russian observers who monitored the Venezuelan presidential election have affirmed that President Nicolas Maduro's victory is legitimate and represents the will of the people, according to Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.

"Citizens voted for the incumbent president, Maduro. By the way, our observers suggest that he won legitimately, although by a narrow margin," Volodin wrote on social media.

He also mentioned that the Venezuelan government has sought a compromise and dialogue with all parties involved in the election process, including the United States, which had promised to lift sanctions if US-backed opposition politicians were permitted to run for president.

"The election was held on these conditions but produced a different outcome than the one expected by Washington. The result is known: unrest in Caracas, attempts to destabilize the situation in the country through the White House-sponsored opposition," Volodin stressed.

It is worth noting that the National Electoral Council declared Maduro a winner of the July 28 election with 51% of the vote. Western-backed riots broke out the day after the election, leading to clashes between the police and protesters in Caracas. The Venezuelan government said a number of countries interfered in the elections and the people's right to self-determination.

This comes after top US diplomat and Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared last week that there was "overwhelming evidence" that Venezuela's presidential election was won by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

"The announcement of results by the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) were deeply flawed, yielding an announced outcome that does not represent the will of the Venezuelan people," Blinken stated.