Maduro and Putin Talk Cooperation via Telephone

The two heads of state discussed their mutual cooperation in “security and defence, energy, agriculture, science and technology, and culture”. 

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Caracas, July 11 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Both the Kremlin and the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry have confirmed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin discussed bilateral relations by telephone on Monday evening.

According to an official statement published by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry, the two heads of state discussed their mutual cooperation in “security and defence, energy, agriculture, science and technology, and culture”. 

Meanwhile the Kremlin stated that the two leaders had discussed “various practical questions in Russian-Venezuelan cooperation. In particular they discussed the implementation of the mutually beneficial joint projects in the fuel and energy sector”.

The government in Caracas said President Putin had also emphasized the commercial links between the two nations and the importance of an upcoming High Level Intergovernmental Commission between Russia and Venezuela, due to be held this coming October in Moscow.  

The Kremlin also confirmed that Maduro had updated the Russian president on the current political situation in Venezuela, where violent anti-government unrest has claimed 103 lives to date.  

“President Putin recognized President Maduro’s courage and efforts to maintain stability in the country and expressed his rejection of those political forces, both domestic and abroad, that do not recognize the constitutional order of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” reads the Venezuelan Foreign Minister communique. 

The meeting was held at Venezuela’s request, and just five days after Moscow’s Latin American department reiterated its support for dialogue in Venezuela and rejected outside intervention in the oil-rich South American country. 

Russia and Venezuela have maintained strong diplomatic and commercial ties since the Bolivarian Revolution came to power under former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias in 1999.