Venezuela’s Allies in the War with Trump Are Few and Weak: China and Russia Sit on the Sidelines

Nicolás Maduro has intensified his defiant rhetoric toward the United States at a moment when President Trump has ordered U.S. naval and military assets into the region and continues targeting narcotics-smuggling vessels.

Across Latin America, governments have largely distanced themselves from Caracas or openly aligned with Washington, leaving Maduro with an increasingly thin circle of international support. The few states that remain sympathetic to Venezuela lack the political or military weight to influence events, and even Maduro’s two most significant partners—Russia and China—have offered little more than symbolic backing as U.S. pressure escalates.

Once central pillars of support, Russia and China had long supplied weapons, loans, training, and diplomatic cover for Maduro. But both powers are now retrenching amid their own economic and security constraints. Maduro has sought greater assistance from Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping—requesting radars, aircraft repairs, missile capabilities, and deeper military cooperation—yet neither government has responded with meaningful action. Their reluctance echoes Iran’s experience earlier in the year, when both nations declined to confront U.S. and Israeli strikes.

For now, Russia and China continue criticizing U.S. activity in the region but have taken no steps that would shift the strategic balance. Neither has deployed assets, delivered military aid, or engaged in any direct challenge to Washington’s posture. Russia, which once flew nuclear-capable bombers into Venezuela as a show of force, is preoccupied with the war in Ukraine. Aside from dispatching two oil tankers to help Caracas export crude, Moscow’s involvement has been minimal. Despite this, Russia remains Venezuela’s most dependable long-term partner, having supplied fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, and thousands of Igla missiles, and recently signing a new strategic energy agreement with Caracas. Even so, Moscow has not provided any military guarantees or concrete assistance in the present standoff.

China—Venezuela’s largest creditor, with more than $30 billion invested since 2000—is also keeping its distance. Beijing continues to portray itself as a steadfast ally, recalling years of investment, infrastructure deals, and oil-for-loan arrangements while accusing Washington of “hegemonic” behavior. Chinese officials have publicly reaffirmed their willingness to deepen cooperation with Venezuela and other countries skeptical of U.S. influence, but this has not translated into action. China has not offered troops, weapons, intelligence, naval deployments, or any diplomatic confrontation with the United States, choosing instead to safeguard its global economic interests and ongoing trade negotiations with the Trump administration.

Iran, meanwhile, has strengthened its alignment with Maduro, sharply condemning Washington’s actions and pledging deeper bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei argued that the United States now poses the “greatest threat” to global peace and security, citing both U.S. measures against Venezuela and Washington’s support for Israel. Baghaei criticized what he described as the Trump administration’s reliance on coercion across various regions, listing U.S. pressure on Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Mexico. He also denounced Trump’s declaration closing Venezuelan airspace, calling it a serious violation of international aviation norms.

Turkey continues to maintain a close economic and political partnership with Venezuela, with leaders from both countries exchanging frequent visits and expanding trade. Although Turkish Airlines recently suspended flights after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned of heightened military activity over Venezuelan airspace, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains one of Maduro’s most trusted international allies. Analysts say Turkey could provide Maduro with a safe haven should he choose to flee, offering both personal trust and practical protection—particularly from U.S. extradition efforts. With Russia, China, and Iran unlikely to serve as viable escape routes, many experts see Turkey as Maduro’s most realistic refuge, consistent with Erdogan’s broader strategy of positioning Ankara as an indispensable diplomatic player.

Together, Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey form the core of Venezuela’s shrinking external support network, though none has signaled any willingness to intervene militarily. Cuba has sharply criticized the United States, warning that the growing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean heightens the risk of a violent confrontation. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused the Trump administration of preparing to remove Maduro by force, asserting that this would violate international law and threaten civilian lives throughout the region.

Despite their harsh rhetoric toward President Trump, Venezuela’s partners have so far avoided taking any real steps that might draw them into a conflict—except possibly Nicaragua. In August, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega offered to dispatch “Sandinista fighters” if Maduro faced an “armed counterrevolution” after the contested July 2024 election. Maduro’s disputed victory led to mass protests, accusations of fraud, more than two dozen civilian deaths, and thousands of opposition arrests. Speaking at a virtual summit, Ortega pledged armed support but did not clarify whether this meant soldiers, police, or paramilitary forces—and he has not repeated the offer amid the current tension, raising doubts about whether Nicaragua would actually intervene.

In the end, Venezuela appears increasingly isolated as it confronts the world’s most powerful military and a U.S. president known for his determination and readiness to authorize force when he deems it necessary.

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