As U.S. ramps up pressure, Venezuela pleads with Moscow and Beijing for help

The Washington Post ^ | 10/31/2025 2:16 p.m. EDT | Anthony Faiola , Hannah Natanson , Mary Ilyushina and Ana Vanessa Herrero

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Documents show Maduro drafted letter asking Russia for missiles, radars and upgraded aircraft as U.S. forces amass in the Caribbean.

Amid a buildup of American forces in the Caribbean, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is reaching out to Russia, China and Iran to enhance its worn military capabilities and solicit assistance — requesting defensive radars, aircraft repairs and potentially missiles — according to internal U.S. government documents obtained by The Washington Post.

The requests to Moscow were made in the form of a letter meant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and was intended to be delivered during a visit to the Russian capital by a senior aide this month.

Maduro, according to the documents, also composed a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping seeking “expanded military cooperation” between their two countries to counter “the escalation between the U.S. and Venezuela.”

In the letter, Maduro asked the Chinese government to expedite Chinese companies’ production of radar detection systems, presumably so Venezuela could enhance its capabilities.

The documents say Transport Minister Ramón Celestino Velásquez also recently coordinated a shipment of military equipment and drones from Iran while planning a visit to that country. He told an Iranian official that Venezuela was in need of “passive detection equipment,” “GPS scramblers” and “almost certainly drones with 1,000 km [600 mile] range,” the documents state.

“In the missive, Maduro emphasized the seriousness of perceived U.S. aggression in the Caribbean, framing U.S. military action against Venezuela as action against China due to their shared ideology,” the U.S. documents said.

The U.S. has deployed ships, drones, and troops near Venezuela in what the White House says is an effort to disrupt drug smuggling networks. (Video: Jonelle La Foucade, Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post)

Russia remains the primary lifeline for Maduro. On Sunday, an Ilyushin Il-76 — one of the Russian...

[rrrod]

Getting a bit sporty.

[DIRTYSECRET]

U mean like a fox hunt?

[dfwgator]

[redfreedom]

I think you are right. Russia has its hands full in Ukraine and Iran recently had its ass beaten.

China probably does not want to engage the US in our own hemisphere. They have bigger plans for the Pacific to concentrate on.

[Karl Spooner]

Not their biggest transport, but it can handle 50 tons they say. Maybe we taught the Russians how to use other countries as proxies. A few S-400 or S-500 batteries would put our plans to seize their oil to an end.

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[Farmerbob]

Right...Because Russia has so many S-400/500s to spare. I guess they could pull some from around their oil refineries for all the good they’re doing.

[Paul R.]

A few HARMs and those S400/S500 batteries won’t have any radar, and will then shortly be in the same condition that Israel left Iran’s.

[ichabod1]

Farmerboob