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Group of Russian military specialists in Venezuela may be enlarged, says foreign minister

According to Jorge Arreaza, Venezuela will be also ready to give a firm rebuff in case of a US armed aggression

MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/. A group of Russian military specialists working in Venezuela under an agreement on military and technical cooperation may be enlarged, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said at a news conference in Moscow on Monday.

"We need to provide for equipment maintenance and exchange military and technical information. This work has been going on since 2001 when we signed an agreement on military cooperation. Currently, a commission of specialists is present on the territory of Venezuela and, no doubt, it may be expanded," Venezuela’s top diplomat said.

Arreaza said Venezuela will be prepared for any march of events, including a military scenario, and it will give a firm rebuff in case of a US armed aggression.

"We will be ready for any scenario, but we put the emphasis on diplomacy first thing," he said. "We are for peace and we wish to talk to everybody about peace, but if the United States prefers a military path, we have our armed forces, our people’s militia, and the people, and we will be prepared not only to resist and fight back, but to overpower and destroy any army, however strong it might be," Arreaza said.