US 'not concerned' about Russia as it ramps up aggression against Venezuela, Rubio says
The United States is "not concerned" about escalating tensions with Russia as it builds up military forces in the Caribbean and ramps up aggression against Venezuela, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Dec. 19.
"We're not concerned about an escalation with Russia, with regards to Venezuela," Rubio said in a press briefing.
"We've always expected them to provide rhetorical support for the (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro regime. I think they have their hands full in Ukraine."
In recent months, the U.S. has been carrying out deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea, claiming without supplying evidence that the vessels are linked to drug trafficking. The Trump administration has also deployed thousands of troops to the region, seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, and declared a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil vessels entering and leaving Venezuela.
Rubio's remarks come a day after the Russian Foreign Ministry warned U.S. President Donald Trump not to make a "fatal mistake" in Venezuela.
Rubio said this statement from Moscow was "expected" but "not a factor in how we consider this whole thing."
He also interrupted his remarks to wish his counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a "merry Christmas."
Venezuela's government maintains close ties with Moscow, and Maduro has denounced Western sanctions on Russia. The Washington Post (WP) reported on Oct. 31 that Venezuela requested military aid from Russia amid Trump's escalating strikes.
Maduro wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting repairs for radars, military aircraft, and possibly missile supplies, according to U.S. government documents obtained by WP.
Trump on Dec. 16 said he would designate the Maduro regime a "terrorist organization." Maduro has in turn accused Trump of attempting to seize Venezuela's natural resources, including oil, gas, and gold.
As Trump threatens continued military escalation against Venezuela, he is also pushing for Kyiv to make a peace deal with Moscow, even if it calls for concessions of unoccupied Ukrainian lands.
