Nations take sides
Russia, China, Iran, Syria and Cuba have come down on one side. The United States, Canada, and countries in Western Europe are on the other.
As the crisis in Venezuela reaches a new boiling point — with embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro facing a challenge from opposition leader Juan Guaido — the geopolitical fault lines look familiar.
President Donald Trump, VicePresident Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued statements on Thursday proclaiming US recognition of Guaido, saying the US would take all diplomatic and economic measures necessary to support a transition to a new government.
Canada said it was recognising Guaido as the interim president, and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called him “the right person” to take Venezuela forward.
But Washington’s adversaries are issuing warnings against US intervention. Russian officials have called the move a “coup” orchestrated by the US.
The US and Russia already are at odds over Syria’s civil war, and the Venezuelan crisis has the potential to add further strain.
Russian-US ties have sunk to postCold War lows over Moscow’s support of separatists in Ukraine and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
“We view the attempt to usurp power in Venezuela as something that contradicts and violates the foundations and principles of international law,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
In a phone call with Maduro, President Vladimir Putin expressed support, noting that “destructive foreign interference tramples on basic norms of the international law”, and called for a peaceful dialogue, according to the Kremlin.
Venezuela’s status as a major oil producer — it has the world’s largest underground oil reserves, but crude production continues to crash — means its political instability has deep implications globally.
And Russia has taken a special interest.
Last month, Russia sent two Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela for several days in what was seen as a precursor for a possible long-term military presence.