MOSCOW, Nov 01 – Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Saturday condemned U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific as violations of international law and U.S. domestic statutes, while reaffirming Moscow’s unwavering support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“We strongly condemn the excessive use of military force in anti-narcotics missions,” Zakharova said. “These actions violate both U.S. law and international law — a view shared by numerous countries and organizations, including the UN Secretary-General.”
The statement follows U.S.-led strikes on unidentified vessels in international waters, which Washington claims were involved in drug trafficking but has provided no public evidence to support. The operations have prompted a Mexican Navy search-and-rescue mission over 400 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, involving a patrol vessel and aircraft.
Zakharova accused the U.S. of breaching Article I, Section 8 of its own Constitution — which reserves to Congress the power to define piracies, declare war, and regulate captures on the high seas — and Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, prohibiting the threat or use of force against another state’s sovereignty.
Regional leaders, including those from Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, and Barbados, have denounced the deployments as a threat to stability and a violation of the 2014 CELAC Declaration designating Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
Russia reiterated its strategic partnership with Venezuela, emphasizing that bilateral ties “develop positively and cover areas of mutual interest, unaffected by external fluctuations.”
The Kremlin has consistently backed Caracas in defending its sovereignty amid escalating U.S. naval presence near Venezuelan waters.
