Caracas (AFP) – The presidents of Venezuela and Türkiye spoke by telephone on Saturday about the United States military deployment in the Caribbean, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry reported in a statement.
First modification: 07/12/2025 - 10:51 Last modification: 07/12/2025 - 15:30
They referred to the deployment since August of a flotilla of ships and combat aircraft in the Caribbean. US President Donald Trump defends the operations by arguing that they focus on the fight against drug traffickers who flood his country with drugs.
Caracas affirms that the military maneuvers, which include the largest aircraft carrier in the world, seek a "regime change" to appropriate the Caribbean country's large oil reserves.
During the conversation, "President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deep concern about the threats that have recently loomed over Venezuela, in particular due to the military deployment and actions of various kinds that seek to alter the peace and security of the Caribbean," the Caracas statement indicated.
Türkiye, along with Iran, China and Russia, is one of the main international allies of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan stressed that "it is important to keep the channels of dialogue between the United States and Venezuela open" and expressed his hope that "the tension will be reduced as soon as possible."
Trump and Maduro held a telephone conversation 12 days ago, without revealing details. The Venezuelan president has insisted on dialogue while Washington redoubles pressure.
Maduro "explained in detail the illegal, disproportionate, unnecessary and even extravagant nature of these threats, making it clear that Venezuela continues to work firmly for economic growth, national peace and political stability," the Caracas text added.
Maduro and Erdogan also talked about the massive suspension of international airline flights following a security alert issued by the US aviation authority due to the increase in military activity near Venezuela.
"They agreed on the importance of reestablishing, as soon as possible, the Caracas-Istanbul-Caracas air connection through Turkish Airlines, which will allow them to continue transporting thousands of tourists and investors who use this route weekly to strengthen ties between both nations."
After Maduro's proclamation for a third term in July 2024, Erdogan showed his support. The Venezuelan opposition denounced fraud in those elections and claimed the triumph of the exiled Edmundo González Urrutia.
In 2018, Erdogan traveled to Venezuela to support Maduro after the United States and fifty other governments ignored his first reelection by denouncing it as fraudulent. Then he promised support in the face of the sanctions imposed by Washington.
Related keywords
The content you requested does not exist or is no longer available.
