The president of China, Xi Jinping, stated that he will continue to support Venezuela to 'safeguard its sovereignty and national security, the dignity of the nation, and social stability' in a letter sent to President Nicolás Maduro on the eve of his birthday and shared by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil. Xi rejected the 'interference' of 'external forces' in the internal affairs of the South American country 'under any pretext' and emphasized that 'China and Venezuela are intimate friends, close brothers, and good partners'. In a letter sent by the Russian Embassy in Caracas to Maduro, also on the eve of the chavista leader's birthday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his commitment to Venezuela in their strategic relationship. 'Without a doubt, we will continue the close joint work to strengthen the partnership relations between Moscow and Caracas,' Putin stated in the letter, which was shared this Saturday by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister. The Russian president said he is confident that under Maduro's leadership, Venezuela 'will overcome with dignity all the tests and defend its legitimate interests in these turbulent times.' These statements from China come amid a context of tension between Venezuela and the United States over the military deployment ordered by Donald Trump in the Caribbean Sea under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, but which Maduro considers an attempt to oust him from power. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a communication warning 'about a potentially dangerous situation in the Maiquetía flight information region,' which corresponds to the airspace controlled by Venezuela, which also includes part of the southern and eastern Caribbean.
