Russia denies sending mercenaries to shore up Nicolás Maduro's position
2019-01-28 09:42:33 source：The Guardian
January 27, 2019
The Russian government has denied that it has sent mercenaries to protect the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, after an opposition leader with backing from the United States declared himself the country’s president.
Russia has thrown its diplomatic weight behind Maduro in recent days, criticising the US for violating Venezuela’s sovereignty by supporting the leadership claim of opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
Reports emerged earlier this week that dozens or hundreds of Russian mercenaries, who have been active in Ukraine and Syria, had been sent to protect Maduro from a possible coup attempt. The move would suggest that Russia was willing to raise the stakes to protect its investment in its closest ally in the western hemisphere.
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