After military exercises in Cuba in June, some Russian warships did not return home. Instead, they have now arrived in Venezuela along the northern coast of South America.
“The Kremlin has a fondness for their authoritarian allies, so this group of warships will also visit Venezuela to show support for Nicolas Maduro’s forces,” said Andrew D’Anieri from the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council.
Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela, is considered a dictator who has been in power since 2013. He is an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, so it is not surprising that Russian ships would be heading to Venezuela. This comes as Venezuela is preparing for new elections.
“Russian warships have the potential to cause trouble. They are expected to remain in the region until the contentious Venezuelan elections on July 28, possibly influencing the Maduro regime’s hold on power,” said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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The upcoming Venezuelan elections are overshadowed by severe economic conditions in the country, caused by poor government policies and U.S. sanctions. This has resulted in a record number of Venezuelan migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border, with over 450,000 crossing in the past two years.
About half of all Venezuelans in the U.S. now reside in Florida.
“I will be closely monitoring if Russian military officers participate in upcoming Venezuelan exercises against Guyana, which could signal support for Venezuela’s claim over the Essequibo region,” Berg added.
Venezuela’s President Maduro has threatened to annex the oil-rich Essequibo region from Guyana by force, similar to Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
“Maduro would welcome explicit support, especially from Putin, for this controversial land-grab, as it aligns with Putin’s agenda,” D’Anieri noted.
The duration of the Russian warships’ stay in Venezuela is uncertain. Depending on the election results, experts suggest that more Venezuelans may leave the country. Since 2015, nearly 8 million Venezuelans have fled to other countries, including the U.S., constituting the largest exodus of refugees in the Americas.
