Caracas firmly rejects any US allegations of Russia’s direct intervention in Venezuelan affairs, Venezuela and Russia are linked by cooperation, Venezuelan Ambassador to Russia Carlos Rafael Faria Tortosa said Tuesday.
“We can expect any comments from the US government. But you must know that some concrete action, fact has to be behind any comment. But our government sees clearly that there is no direct intervention [of Russia]… Cooperation, larger cooperation, broadening of this cooperation in various spheres. That’s what exists between Russia and Venezuela. Therefore we firmly reject US accusations that there is any direct Russia’s involvement in Venezuelan affairs”, the diplomat told reporters.
Russia has refuted the US claims numerous times, saying that its military personnel that arrived in Venezuela last March was involved in talks on defence cooperation with officials. Moscow has pointed out that Russia’s presence was fully legitimate and in accordance with the defence agreement between Moscow and Caracas.On Paying Debt to Russia
In January, Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak confirmed that Moscow and Caracas had reached an agreement on the rescheduling of Venezuela’s debt, with the country now paying off its arrears in accordance with a new time frame. Storchak added that Venezuela had to pay its debt to Russia twice a year, specifying that there had been no delays so far.