The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it hoped the administration of US President Donald Trump would not make a "fatal mistake" with regard to Venezuela, expressing concern over US decisions that Moscow said threatened international shipping.
Russia's response came after Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a complete "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters, as part of Washington's efforts to increase pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro. Last week, the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, effectively imposing an embargo. Ships loaded with millions of barrels of oil remain in Venezuelan waters to avoid the risk of confiscation.
"We hope that the Trump administration, which is characterized by a rational and pragmatic approach, will not make a fatal mistake", the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It stressed that Venezuela is a friendly country for Russia and that Moscow hopes that the United States will not intervene in a situation that could have "unpredictable consequences for the entire Western Hemisphere".
In its statement, Russian diplomacy also quoted Simón Bolívar - the Venezuelan military and political leader who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule - as saying that every nation has the right to choose its own rulers and that other countries must respect this choice.
Moscow said it supports the normalization of dialogue between Washington and Caracas and confirmed "its solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the trials they are going through." Russia reiterated its support for the course of the government of Nicolas Maduro, aimed at protecting the country's national interests and sovereignty.