Moscow, Caracas Openly Discuss Contacts Between Venezuela, US - Diplomat

Russia and Venezuela have no hidden agenda in bilateral relations, which allows the two countries to openly discuss the current intensification of contacts between Caracas and Washington, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2022) Russia and Venezuela have no hidden agenda in bilateral relations, which allows the two countries to openly discuss the current intensification of contacts between Caracas and Washington, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.

"The United States has now become more active in the Cuban area, and, in fact, there are also some shifts in Washington's approach to the Venezuelan issue. These changes are not publicized much, but we see them, note them. We are discussing them with our friends in Caracas. And we have no hidden agenda (in relations) with Havana or with Caracas, just as it should be in relations with strategic allies," Ryabkov told the RTVI broadcaster.

Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with the US in 2019, after the latter recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president instead of re-elected Nicolas Maduro.

Washington, in turn, imposed crippling sanctions on Caracas, targeting the country's oil and financial industries.

The contacts between the two countries resumed to some extent in March 2022, when US President Joe Biden sent a delegation to Caracas to negotiate with the Maduro government on the issue of oil supplies amid the energy crisis amplified by Western sanctions against Russia.

Talks about a possible thaw in US-Venezuela relations have emerged recently following reports that the Venezuelan opposition appeared ready to oust Guaido, and the US indicated it would not interfere in the process.