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Russian companies may face risks in Venezuela

The Russian government will closely monitor the situation in the country
Anti-government demonstration in Caracas EPA-EFE/CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ
Anti-government demonstration in Caracas
© EPA-EFE/CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ

MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. There are risks for Russian companies in Venezuela, the Russian government monitors the situation and hopes that the country will comply with its obligations to Russian companies, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told reporters on Wednesday.

"Such risks of course exist. The politically unpredictable situation that develops in Venezuela imposes an imprint on the relations between the companies," he said.

Kozak added that the government will monitor the situation in the country and hopes that regardless of the political situation, obligations to Russian companies will be fulfilled.

Rosneft is one of the key Russian investors in Venezuela.

Political upheaval rocks Venezuela

Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and parliament speaker, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital of Caracas on January 23. Several countries, including the United States, Lima Group members (excluding Mexico), Australia, Albania, Georgia and Israel, as well as the Organization of American States, recognized him.

Maduro, in turn, blasted the move as a coup staged by Washington and said he was severing diplomatic ties with the US.

Meanwhile, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands said that they would recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president unless Maduro called elections by February 3.

In contrast, Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey voiced support for Maduro, while China called for resolving all differences peacefully and warned against foreign interference. The United Nations secretary general, in turn, called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.