Russian Ambassador Claims Maduro Was “Betrayed”

Russia’s ambassador to Venezuela, Sergey Melik Bagdasarov, suggested on Sunday that Nicolás Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan leader, was “betrayed,” which allowed U.S. military forces to apprehend him and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In his statements, the ambassador indicated that Maduro’s arrest resulted from the negligence of Venezuelan officials and their supposed collaboration with U.S. intelligence agencies. He mentioned that Russia purportedly knows who the defectors are that fled Venezuela.

According to the Russian news outlet TASS, Melik Bagdasarov expressed these views during an interview with local television, asserting that Maduro might have been let down by members of Venezuela’s law enforcement and “political elite,” though he refrained from naming specific individuals.

Discussing the betrayal, he remarked, “It might have been betrayal, indecision, or just neglect of duty.” He elaborated that if things had been functioning normally, Venezuelan forces would have had chances to inflict damage on their adversaries, but instead, the American forces left with minor injuries and minimal destruction.

“Clearly, many local law enforcement didn’t act as they should have,” he continued. “If what occurred before this is indeed betrayal, then yes, it fits the bill. We know the names of those who left Venezuela and have been cooperating with U.S. intelligence.”

On January 3, U.S. military personnel executed a law enforcement operation in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Maduro and Flores from their residence within the country’s largest military complex.

Venezuela’s government has claimed that U.S. actions led to the death of “100 to 120 people” and left many more injured, though officials have not revealed precise casualty figures due to the condition of the bodies.

Additionally, the Cuban government reported that 32 of its security personnel lost their lives while defending Maduro, a revelation that has fueled long-standing rumors about Cuba’s military presence in Venezuela.

Currently, Maduro and Flores are awaiting trial on various narco-terrorism charges in a detention center in Brooklyn. Melik Bagdasarov has suggested that these allegations against Maduro are unfounded, expressing confidence that the former leader will eventually return to Venezuela.

“Supporters of Maduro truly believe in his return,” he stated, suggesting that public faith in justice will prevail, though it’s uncertain whether that would manifest from a rightful ruling in the U.S. or some other decision.

The ambassador also alleged that Venezuelan authorities did not issue counter-orders during the U.S. operation, implying that a lack of orders contributed to their inability to respond effectively.

He noted, “Military personnel control electronic systems and weapons; they don’t operate without directives. So, clearly, no orders were given.”

Reflecting on the situation leading up to the incident, he mentioned there was notable tension in Venezuela towards the end of the year, but as Christmas approached, a sense of complacency may have set in.

Russia has consistently supplied military equipment to the Venezuelan regime and, according to Melik Bagdasarov, some resources were utilized during the operation. However, he suggested that the Venezuelan military lacked adequate training, stating that “holding a weapon doesn’t mean you know how to use it.” He added that there were failed attempts to utilize missile systems during the operation.

“The human aspect is crucial,” he argued, emphasizing that reliance solely on technology without the right personnel won’t work effectively.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López recently accused the U.S. of leveraging advanced technology against Venezuela during the operation, asserting that there were unknown weapons involved, a claim that echoes Trump’s remarks made at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Trump described a chaotic scene where U.S. forces had the Venezuelan defenses in their sights, yet no shots were fired, highlighting the disparity in technology during the incident.