Russia’s Federation Council: Military base in Venezuela would be 'inexpedient'
It would be “inexpedient” to establish a Russian military base in Venezuela, commented Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy chairperson of the Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, to the Russian news agency Interfax.
The Russian MP made this statement the day after Trump demanded that Russia “get out” of Venezuela, a country that the Kremlin has loaned $17 billion to over the last 12 years.
The political and economic crisis in Venezuela should be resolved through “political methods”, Dzhabarov said.
“Firstly, the situation in the country needs to be stabilized. Deploying a base under conditions of possible resistance, even armed resistance, would mean getting caught up in the internal conflict in Venezuela,” the senator observed.
“I would categorically not do that,” he emphasized when asked whether he thinks a large-scale Russian military presence or military base in Venezuela is necessary.
Dzhabarov also said that he considers it incorrect to compare the situation in Venezuela with that in Syria. The comparison was drawn yesterday by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who said that, before demanding that the Russian soldiers pull out from Venezuela, the US should withdraw its own troops from Syria.
“In Syria we observed the onslaught of international terrorism, but in Venezuela there are elements of a civil war,” Dzhabarov explained.
In this regard, he commented that external interference in Venezuela’s affairs, “especially by the US”, should be prevented.
“The scale of the military presence in Venezuela will have to be determined by Russia’s military and political leadership,” Dzhabarov added.
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump demanded that Russia withdraw all of the soldiers and equipment that it sent to Venezuela on Saturday 23 March.
When asked to clarify how he intends to ensure that the Kremlin stops backing Maduro, Trump responded that “All options are open,” a phrase he previously used to indicate the possibility of US military intervention.
The US State Department called the arrival of Russian troops on Saturday a “senseless escalation”. “Russia has sent troops, although it has insisted itself that a military solution to the crisis in the Latin American country will not solve the problems,” an official spokesperson told Reuters.
“Moscow’s actions go against its own assertions and those of Maduro,” the diplomat stressed.