Venezuelan socialist totalitarian Nicolás Maduro repaid years of support to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in a televised diatribe Tuesday night accusing Ukrainian leaders of being “fascists” and stating his program’s “complete backing” of Putin’s ongoing military intrusion of Ukraine.
Putin announced in a speech on Monday that he would acknowledge 2 separatist gangs in eastern Ukraine as the “sovereign” countries of Donetsk and Luhansk, the 2 regions that comprise the greater Donbas of eastern Ukraine. Putin invaded Donbas in 2014– the very same year he invaded and colonized Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula– however had for years offered only weapons aid and concealed assistance, denying any participation in the region. On Monday, Putin declared the freshly recognized countries had asked for Russian military support and authorized a formal Russian military existence in Ukraine.
While supporters of Putin’s aggressiveness on both sides of the political spectrum claim that Russia’s actions in Ukraine are an action to alleged legitimate “security concerns” over NATO’s growth, Putin made clear in his speech that he did not think Ukraine was a real nation, asserting, “Ukraine has never ever had steady customs of their own statehood” and stating Vladimir Lenin the “architect” of Ukraine.
Maduro signs up with fellow Russian customer Bashar al-Assad, who remains Syria’s dictator after heavy Russian involvement in the civil war that began there in 2011, in supporting Putin’s belligerence towards his next-door neighbor to the west.
Maduro justified his support with a complicated argument that the government of existing President Volodymyr Zelensky, who he did not name, was the outcome of an unspecified “coup.” In truth, Zelensky, an expert comic without any previous political experience, beat incumbent “Chocolate King” Petro Poroshenko in a complimentary and reasonable election in 2019.
“The extremist right that has actually taken control of the federal governments of Ukraine has actually never ever had an interest in fixing conflicts via discussion, has actually never ever been interested in peace, has never ever had an interest in respecting Russia,” Maduro railedat a televised occasion the state propaganda outlet VTV referred to as a “working conference” on Tuesday evening.
“Venezuela anuncia su respaldo al Presidente Vladímir Putin en la defensa de la paz y su pueblo”, así lo destacó el Jefe de Estado @NicolasMaduro ante el ataque de EE.UU. junto a Ucrania para cercar a Rusia pic.twitter.com/FWQfjT9rUO
— Julio Riobó VTV (@JRioboVTV) February 22, 2022
“There have been numerous times that President Putin has actually tried direct discussion with the governors of Ukraine to develop a base of understanding and dispute resolution,” Maduro declared, “however the fascist elite that performed a coup d’etat in Ukraine and the groups who have actually taken power in Ukraine on different events have actually stayed away from diplomacy, from regard, from dialogue.”
Maduro did not clarify who the “fascist elite” who delivered the “coup” were or what occasions he was discussing. He did not point out Zelensky in his remarks. Maduro appeared to be, however, referring to the Maidan demonstrations in 2014, a grassroots oppose effort by the Ukrainian people to oust pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. Like Maduro, Yanukovych responded to the demonstrations with brutal violence, eliminating over 100 Ukrainians and injuring thousands before resigning and getting away to Russia.
The Maidan protests resulted in the election of Poroshenko– Zelensky’s election rival in 2019, not an ally.
“What does the world desire,” Maduro asked, “for Putin to stick with his hands crossed, to not act in defense of his individuals?”
“That’s why Venezuela reveals its total backing to President Vladimir Putin in the defense of peace of Russia,” Maduro revealed, “in the defense of peace because area, in the worthy peace of his people and his fatherland. All the assistance for President Putin, all the support for Russia.”
Russia has actually supported the illegitimate Maduro regime for years and participated in military operations in the Caribbean islands on a semi-regular basis. In 2018, Russia put 2 nuclear-capable bombers, Tupolev Tu-160 designs, in the country, conducting flights over the Caribbean to take pride in Russia’s capability to operate near the United States. Reports in Venezuelan media, mentioning Russian news company Tass, reported that year that Moscow was preparing to establish a military base in La Orchila, a Caribbean island coming from Venezuela.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shake hands during their conference in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, Pool) The next year, the Putin regime insisted it had no significant military presence in Venezuela. More just recently, following President Joe Biden suggesting in January that he would not do something about it if Putin engaged in a”minor attack “in Ukraine, Putin made a series of call to leftist leaders throughout Latin America to support ties.”Russian President [sic] Vladimir Putin in his recent call with the leaders [sic] of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela– Miguel Diaz-Canel, Daniel Ortega and Nicolas Maduro– agreed with them on enhancing tactical cooperation in all fields,”according to Russia’s Tass news agency. Maduro stopped to be the president of Venezuela in January 2019 however maintains control of the Venezuelan militaries and has refused to abandon Miraflores, the presidential palace, making him the de facto head of the Venezuelan state. The authorities, but helpless, president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó
, issued a declaration on Tuesday opposing Russia’s violence in Ukraine and Russia’s presence in Venezuela usually.”We turn down the intent of using Venezuelan area for the purposes of war, “Guaidó said in a declaration,” Our function in this dispute continues to be recovering democracy in Venezuela and distancing ourselves from the intended intrusion of Ukraine on the part of Russia.” Follow Frances Martel on Facebook and Twitter.