By Maryorin Méndez | 2024-11-15

CARACAS -- Oil-rich dictatorships are banding together as Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro seeks backing for his rule.

Iran and Russia, which like Venezuela have plentiful oil and a grim human rights picture, have been teaming up to support Nicolás Maduro's dubious claims of winning reelection July 28.

Meanwhile, China, which was among the few countries that extended their congratulations to Maduro, has long provided economic support.

In this election, the opposition presented evidence of Edmundo González Urrutia's victory, though electoral authorities under Maduro’s control dismissed it.

Maduro's strategy of disregarding verified election results has left him increasingly isolated on the continent, with his only remaining allies being the dictatorial regimes of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cuba.

He has even distanced himself from his former ally, Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, who has advocated the publication of "credible results" from past elections.

Shunned in Latin America, Venezuela is courting faraway friends.

In early November, the Venezuelan regime hosted high-ranking representatives from the governments of Iran and Russia in separate visits, described as efforts to strengthen commercial and defense alliances.

Russia and Iran are working to legitimize Maduro, a pariah who has led Venezuela into its worst crisis in history. More than eight million displaced citizens live worldwide.

In contrast to Western democracies, Russia, Iran and China have consistently supported Maduro's regime, defending the legitimacy of his three terms in office and being among the first to recognize him as the victor in the disputed July elections.

Maduro has consistently praised the robust ties his regime maintains with these countries, stating, "We have the support of nations with cutting-edge technology in drone combat, anti-drone combat -- our sister Russia, our sister China, our sister Iran," during a military parade on July 5 in Caracas.

Beef for Iran

In early November, Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Aalami Morteza flew nonstop to Caracas, where he was welcomed by Freddy Bernal, the governor of Táchira state and a former police officer loyal to Maduro.

Bernal now oversees that region bordering Colombia.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss the export of cattle from Táchira, renowned for producing some of Venezuela's finest beef, both officials said.

Morteza, who also serves as the president of the Iran Garment Company, stated that his mission was to ensure "food and natural nutrition security" in Iran, seeking to import Venezuelan cattle to meet this goal.

Plans are in place to export about 11,000 head of cattle to Iran monthly, official sources say.

However, the price Iran will pay remains unclear, as the two countries are keeping details of their various agreements confidential.

Russia: The 'big sister'

Days after Morteza’s visit, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko arrived in Caracas for a brief meeting with Maduro and his running mate, Delcy Rodríguez.

The discussions focused on agreements related to "intelligence," "espionage" and energy, state channel VTV reported.

Chernyshenko told Rodríguez that Russia is ready to support Venezuela's armed forces with "the most sophisticated weapons and military equipment," according to statements translated by Venezuelan state television and reported by AFP.

The two countries agreed to cooperate in areas including "intelligence and counterintelligence issues," the use of drones and oil exploration technology, the moderator of the talks said.

Russia and Venezuela have 343 agreements across various sectors.

However, the most crucial agreements are those involving Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, with Russia aiming to sign new 10-year contracts.

During his recent visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Maduro referred to Russia as "Venezuela's older sister" and declared Venezuela the best ally Russia could have in Latin America.

Indispensable backing

The support from China, Russia and Iran has helped Maduro withstand international sanctions and domestic protests, Evan Ellis, a Latin America specialist at the US Army War College, told the BBC.

"Over the years, China, Russia and Iran have played distinct yet sometimes complementary roles in sustaining the regime," Ellis said in a BBC article published on September 19.

"China has provided economic support, Russia has contributed in defense and Iran has addressed key challenges. Together, they've given Maduro both political cover and economic backing, enabling him to resist pressure," he added.