How Russia’s betrayal leaves Maduro captured and Venezuela in chaos

Russia’s influence far from its own borders has long rested more on symbolism than on enforceable power, but that illusion depended on the belief that Moscow would intervene when its partners were directly threatened. Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro became one of the clearest test cases of this assumption, positioning itself as a flagship Russian ally in South America. As pressure from the United States intensified, Maduro openly relied on Russia as a strategic shield rather than building self-sufficient deterrence. The moment of crisis therefore exposed not just a vulnerability in Venezuela’s defenses, but a structural weakness in Russia’s alliance system on distant continents. Events now unfolding show how distance, overstretch, and competing priorities limit Moscow’s ability to protect even its most vocal partners. The consequences extend beyond Maduro personally, reshaping how states assess the real value of Russian backing under direct confrontation.

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