Moscow, Nov 2: Russia strongly condemns the United States for the excessive use of military force during counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
“We firmly denounce the use of excessive military force in carrying out actions in anti-drugs operations,” foreign ministry Zakharova said, in a commentary on her ministry’s website.
Such actions violate both US domestic and international law, she said, adding that the position is recognized by representatives of a number of countries and international organizations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We reaffirm our firm support for the Venezuelan leadership in its efforts to defend national sovereignty,” she said.
“We advocate for preserving the Latin American and Caribbean region as a zone of peace,” she said.
The spokesperson added that steps are needed to de-escalate the situation and facilitate constructive solutions to existing problems in line with international law.
A US campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific against what Washington says is the illegal drug trade has targeted at least 14 boats and killed 61 people.
The United States has built up a large military presence in the Caribbean in recent months, with fighter jets, warships and thousands of troops.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signed a strategic partnership agreement in Moscow earlier in May, 2025.
–IANS