Venezuela said this Saturday (20) that Iran, one of the main allies of Nicolas Maduro’s regime, had offered support to the United States to confront what it describes as “piracy and international terrorism”, after a telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of Caracas and Tehran.
“Venezuela received a full demonstration of solidarity from the Iranian government, as well as its offer of cooperation in all areas to confront piracy and international terrorism that the United States seeks to impose through military force,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said about the meeting with Iranian Abbas Araghchi.
Relations between Iran and Venezuela strengthened with the coming to power of Hugo Chávez and were maintained by Maduro. Iran had already helped Venezuela in the past, sending it fuel, food and medicine. China and Russia, Venezuela’s other major allies, have also expressed solidarity with the dictator over the US action.
Washington has mobilized a military fleet in the Caribbean to carry out so-called operations against drug trafficking. Over the past ten days, two tankers carrying Venezuelan crude oil have been intercepted – including one this Saturday – as part of a “total blockade” ordered by President Donald Trump.
“The United States will continue to pursue illicit movements of sanctioned oil that is used to finance narcoterrorism in the region,” US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. According to Noem, the US Coast Guard seized the ship before dawn with support from the Pentagon.
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms that these acts will not go unpunished and will take all appropriate measures, including reporting to the United Nations Security Council, other multilateral organizations and world governments,” said a statement issued by the Venezuelan regime in response to the attack.
During the Mercosur summit this Saturday (20) in Foz do Iguaçu, President Lula, who was the first of the South American leaders to speak, declared that an armed intervention in Venezuela would be catastrophic and would create a dangerous precedent.
In the opposite direction, the Argentine President, Javier Milei, highlighted the pressure exerted on the Maduro regime, which he described as an atrocious dictatorship. The Argentine condemned what he called an authoritarian experiment in Venezuela and expressed support for Trump’s position.
About The Author
