Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow will not change its position on Venezuela. So he commented on the words of US President Donald Trump about a possible blockade of the Bolivarian Republic.

"These statements reflect the attitude of the United States to put pressure on the government, which conducts an independent course, for some reason or other disliked Washington," - the diplomat said.

According to Ryabkov, threats from Washington will not affect "the determination to seek the respect of all members of the international community for the sovereignty of states."

In turn, the first deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, Vladimir Jabarov, said that a possible blockade of Venezuela by the United States and its allies in the region could lead to a new Caribbean crisis.

“This is a very, very dangerous thing. At one time, the Americans tried to organize a blockade of Cuba, and this almost ended in a nuclear crisis in 1962, ”the RIA Novosti news agency quoted the senator as saying.

Earlier, in the course of communication with journalists, Trump answered affirmatively to a question about a possible blockade of Venezuela.

“Yes, I am considering,” he said.

Oil quarantine

American political scientist Mikhail Sinelnikov-Orishak told RT that a technically complete blockade of Venezuela by Washington and its allies in the region is quite possible.

“The US has already applied this tactic in Nicaragua. Americans believe that only they can be present in Latin America, so for them the help of Venezuela from Russia is a blatant insolence, ”the expert noted.

He recalled that due to the economic sanctions Venezuela has to change its resources for food and necessary goods, so the blockade can lead to serious consequences.

“In this case, the United States will not be able to justify the blockade from the point of view of international law,” Sinelnikov-Orishak stressed.

In turn, Alexander Chichin, dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, expressed the opinion that the White House is trying to loosen the situation from all sides and imposes sanctions on the republic, which are complemented by others.

“Financial flows are already blocked, perhaps now remittances from abroad will be limited. The next step could be quarantine, which will be used to bring the situation to the fullest crisis, chaos, social explosion, ”the expert noted.

According to him, “the United States will intercept ships in the Caribbean for inspection. In this case, they, like pirates of the Caribbean, will be able to decide whether or not Venezuelan oil tankers can be produced so that this country cannot sell oil. ”

Sanctions and invasions

Elliot Abrams, US special envoy for Venezuela, while visiting Canada, announced on August 1 that the White House is now trying to get the EU countries to impose restrictive measures against the government of the Bolivarian Republic.

"We agreed that it would be very useful if the EU follows the lead of Canada and the United States and imposes sanctions on the Maduro regime," he said in an interview with CBC News.

  • Elliot Abrams
  • AFP
  • © Alex Edelman

The US special envoy considers it outrageous that “Europe has become a playground for regime participants and their families,” where they spend money, buy houses, lead luxurious lives.

“In this regard, we have developed an approach in which the democratic countries of Latin America will help push the EU in the right direction,” said Abrams.

However, he did not back up his allegations with any evidence.

The US Special Representative again noted that Washington is ready to carry out military intervention in Venezuela.

“Our strategy is to exert diplomatic, political, economic and international pressure on the regime. We do not stop our efforts. A few days ago we announced the introduction of new sanctions. Soon they will be even more. That is our policy. However, the military invasion option remains, ”said Abrams.

Food blockade

The new sanctions that Abrams talked about were introduced by the US Treasury Department at the end of July against 13 companies and ten individuals involved in food supplies to Venezuela.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic called such restrictive measures on the part of Washington the means of economic terrorism.

  • Nicolas Maduro
  • Reuters
  • © Miraflores Palace / Handout

"Venezuela, in the face of the international community, condemns the recurring practice of economic terrorism by the US government, which has declared measures whose criminal purpose is to deprive all Venezuelans of the right to food," said Jorge Arreas, head of the Venezuelan foreign affairs agency.

In addition, US Special Representative Abrams earlier said that new restrictive measures could be introduced against Russia for supporting the Venezuelan government.

In response, Ryabkov said that the Russian side would not retreat from its principles. According to the diplomat, the White House is threatened with restriction all the time, since it “has nothing for a long time but sanctions.”

At the same time, he noted that in the end, it destroys the image of Washington and works to objectively reduce the influence of the United States in the world.

“We are well aware of the American approaches. I hope that there they also heard and understand that Russia has its own “red lines”, that we will not back down from our principled approaches and priorities, ”RIAB Novosti quoted Ryabkov as saying.

Crisis history

Recall that the protracted political crisis continues in Venezuela since the beginning of 2019, when Nicolas Maduro took the oath as president of the country for a second term. The opposition refused to recognize his election and announced that the head of state was the chairman of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido.

  • Opposition Leader Juan Guaido
  • Reuters
  • © Prensa Juan Guaido / Leo Alvarez

The legitimate government of Maduro was refused to recognize the United States, the European Union, members of the Lima Group from 14 countries, as well as the majority of members of the Organization of American States.

High-ranking representatives of the Trump administration - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence - called Maduro an illegitimate head of state, and also promised support for Guayido and opposition members. The country's power grid was subjected to cyber attacks, and supporters of the head of the National Assembly tried to break through the border with Colombia under the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid.

Despite international support and recognition, the Guaido failed to seize power in the country. In the spring of this year, negotiations brokered between the opposition and the government through Norway.

The parties did not sign any agreements, but on July 12, Maduro announced that they had agreed to continue the dialogue. The Venezuelan leader expressed confidence that the negotiators would soon be able to come to a "great agreement on peace and coexistence."

Despite the fact that the government of the Bolivarian Republic has entered into a negotiation process with the opposition, Washington will continue to seek the resignation of the president of this country, said on July 21, national security adviser to Trump John Bolton.

"The United States will not calm down until the despotic Maduro leaves and the corrupt do not stop abusing Venezuelans," he wrote on his Twitter.

Earlier, Pompeo made the same statement.

As Alexander Chichin notes, the general line of Washington with respect to Caracas will remain the same as before - leading to a total famine that would cause a social explosion in the republic.

"The United States is pushing Venezuela to civil war, because in this case they would have the right to intervene," the expert explained.

However, the legitimate authorities of the Bolivarian Republic, than the American administration imagined, he stressed.

“The number of supporters of Maduro is not decreasing, despite the deterioration of the situation, because all Venezuelans understand who is the source of their problems. In addition, the sanctions do not apply to Venezuela, since there are a number of countries that are not ready to lose relations with her and intend to help her, ”Chichin concluded.