Russia Demands U.S. Release Nicolás Maduro and Pledges Support to Venezuela

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the United States this Saturday to release the legitimately elected president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, after confirming their presence on U.S. territory following the military attack against the Caribbean nation in the early hours of the day.

"In connection with the confirmed information regarding the presence of the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife in the United States, we strongly call on the U.S. leadership to reconsider this position and release the legitimately elected president of this sovereign country and his wife," states the communiqué issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The pronouncement from Moscow underscores "the need to create conditions for resolving any existing problems between the U.S. and Venezuela through dialogue," reiterating Russia's historical position regarding the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the national sovereignty of states.

The Russian statement constitutes the first official confirmation by a foreign government regarding the whereabouts of the Venezuelan leader and the first lady, whose location had remained unknown since the Vice President of Venezuela denounced the U.S. military aggression against the capital and the states of Aragua, Miranda, and La Guaira.

Lavrov Reaffirms Support

On January 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a telephone conversation with the Executive Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, in which he expressed Moscow's "firm solidarity" with the Venezuelan people in the face of armed aggression.

Lavrov affirmed that Russia will continue to support the course of the Bolivarian government, oriented toward protecting national interests and the country's sovereignty. Both officials agreed on the imperative need to avoid further military escalation and find a solution to the crisis through political dialogue.

During the exchange, the parties expressed their mutual willingness to continue strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela—a bond that encompasses military, energy, economic, and diplomatic cooperation, consolidated over the last decade as a counterbalance to Western sanctions and the isolation imposed by Washington.

The Kremlin's diplomatic intervention adds a geopolitical dimension of greater scale to the hemispheric crisis. Russia maintains close strategic relations with Venezuela, including arms sales, cooperation in the oil sector, and financial support, making Moscow a relevant actor in any escalation involving the Caracas government.

The Russian emphasis on Maduro's electoral legitimacy represents a direct challenge to Washington's narrative, which has systematically questioned Venezuelan electoral processes and maintains drug trafficking accusations against the leader, offering a multi-million dollar reward for his capture.

Moscow's stance consolidates its role as a counterweight to U.S. influence in Latin America, a region Washington has historically considered within its sphere of influence according to the Monroe Doctrine. The Kremlin's call for dialogue openly contrasts with the military path undertaken by the Trump administration.

International Rejection Amplifies

The Russian demand adds to a growing wave of international condemnation against the U.S. military intervention. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, described the bombings as a "grave affront to Venezuelan sovereignty" and warned that attacking countries constitutes the first step toward a world where "the law of the strongest" prevails over multilateralism.

Mexico strongly condemned the military actions as a flagrant violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter, emphasizing that Latin America and the Caribbean constitutes a zone of peace where mutual respect and the peaceful settlement of disputes must prevail.

The Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity (REDH) labeled the operation a "crime against peace" and an existential threat to the sovereignty of all peoples, while from the United States, the Answer Coalition rejected the intervention, arguing that the war seeks "to steal Venezuela's oil and dominate Latin America."

The Venezuelan Vice President denounced that the aggression caused civilian casualties and activated the nation's integral defense, while the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) were instructed to protect the national territory. Caracas demanded the Donald Trump government provide immediate proof of life for the president and first lady.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil maintained diplomatic contacts with his counterparts from Brazil and other countries, seeking to articulate a regional response to what Caracas calls a colonial war aimed at usurping the country's strategic resources and annihilating its political independence.