Events

Valentina Matvienko: Resolving the artificially engineered crisis in Venezuela is only possible through inclusive national dialogue

Federation Council Speaker had a meeting with Executive Vice President of Venezuela.


Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko had a meeting with Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez. The meeting was also attended by Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“Russia supports the people and the lawfully elected government of Venezuela in their fight for the country’s independence. We stand against external interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states. Resolving the artificially engineered crisis in Venezuela is only possible through inclusive national dialogue,” Valentina Matvienko noted.

She welcomed the statement repeatedly made by the President of Venezuela that the country’s leadership is ready for this dialogue.

Valentina Matvienko informed Delcy Rodríguez about a statement adopted by the Federation Council regarding the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in which Russian senators called for members of foreign parliaments to condemn the calls for the overthrow of the legitimate power in this country. The statement and its Spanish translation were delivered to Delcy Rodríguez.

Meeting between Valentina Matvienko and Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez

The Federation Council Speaker assured her counterpart that Russia will continue to help the Venezuelan officials in resolving socioeconomic issues, including through legitimate humanitarian assistance.

In this context, Valentina Matvienko noted the importance of expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

“We need to prepare specific agreements in time for the next meeting of the Russian-Venezuelan High-Level Intergovernmental Commission scheduled for early April in Moscow,” Valentina Matvienko said. 

“We would like you to consider adding an interregional dimension to our cooperation programme. It would have a positive impact,” the Speaker noted.

Meeting between Valentina Matvienko and Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez. Broadcast on 3 March 2019

She proposed sending representatives of Venezuela’s seven industrial regions to Russia for detailed talks about specific projects. “The Federation Council is ready to provide necessary assistance and make arrangements for bilateral contacts.”

Delcy Rodríguez thanked her counterpart for the support given to the Venezuelan people. She informed Valentina Matvienko about the domestic political situation and spoke about efforts to stabilise the socioeconomic situation in the country. She expressed concern about the fact that the opposition had been consistently rejecting the opportunity for dialogue, at the direct instruction of the West.

Delcy Rodríguez added that Venezuela intends to strengthen its links with the Russian Federation in areas such as energy, trade and finance. “This will facilitate the development of new cooperation mechanisms. We see this as having great potential for our work together.”

Valentina Matvienko and Delcy Rodríguez agreed to continue the dialogue.

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