Putin to send State Duma chair to Venezuela for Maduro's inauguration

Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin will travel to Venezuela to attend the inauguration ceremony of Nicolás Maduro, who was elected president of that country.

As per the Russian Foreign Ministry, the ceremony will be held on January 10, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia will be represented by the Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin at the inauguration of Venezuelan President-elect Nicolas Maduro, which will be held on January 10, 2025 in Caracas,” the ministry said.

Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to be inaugurated for a third presidential term in Venezuela on January 10, 2025. This follows the disputed July 2024 elections, where Maduro declared victory without providing evidence, leading to widespread allegations of electoral fraud.

Russia has expressed strong support for Nicolás Maduro ahead of his inauguration for a third presidential term in Venezuela on January 10, 2025. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov conveyed this support during a telephone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil Pinto, on December 20, 2024.

This support aligns with Russia's longstanding diplomatic and economic ties with Venezuela, including agreements on intelligence cooperation, counterintelligence, drone usage, and oil exploration, which are set to continue until at least 2030.

By Khagan Isayev