A Russian military blogger feared that any US takeover of Venezuela’s oil reserves could lead to a “nightmare” collapse of the country’s economy, which depends on energy exports.
Russians fear they will “starve” after the swift arrest of Vladimir Putin’s ally Nicolas Maduro.
Donald Trump sent shockwaves around the world after ordering an explosively effective operation that took Maduro and his wife out of Venezuela early this morning. The pair will now stand trial in the US for numerous crimes, including drug trafficking.
But as the Trump administration celebrated, fears grew in Russia about what this could mean now that the country’s closest ally in South America had fallen. The Kremlin condemned Maduro’s removal, labeling it “an act of armed aggression” and saying it was “very worrying.”
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Fear has also seeped out of the Kremlin and infected online spaces where Russians shared concerns that oil prices will collapse and damage the country’s economy, which depends on energy exports. Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska said US control of Venezuelan oil could have serious negative consequences.
On his Telegram channel he said: “If our American ‘partners’ reach the oil fields of Venezuela (and they have already reached those of Guyana), they will control more than half of the world’s oil reserves.”
He continued: “And apparently their plan is to ensure that the price of our oil does not rise above $50 (£37) per barrel. This means that our holy state capitalism will find it difficult to leave everything as it is.”
A pro-Kremlin soldier was more scathing about the situation, calling it a “nightmare” and daring to call Russia’s leaders traitors. “This isn’t fucking funny,” the blogger said, reports the Daily Express.
‘Soon it will no longer even be profitable for us to extract oil. In a few months we will starve. This is checkmate for the entire economy.
‘They will drop the oil price below the bottom and take over the entire market. Now they will also have oil.
“This is a total goddamn disaster. And we’ll be left without the internet, drowning in taxes, while hugging our goddamn oil. (…) The Americans just extended their existence for another few centuries, while ours will end in a month.”
Trump said the US would take over Venezuela’s administration “until such time as we can achieve a safe, just and judicious transition.” He added: “We cannot take the risk that someone else will take over Venezuela if he does not have the well-being of the Venezuelan people in mind. We are here now. But we will stay until such time as a good transition can take place. We are essentially going to implement it….”
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