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Venezuela and Russia signed a 10-year agreement establishing stronger bilateral ties and closer cooperation on energy matters. Mexico City, Mexico, May 9, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela and Russia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement on May 7 during President Nicolás Maduro’s official visit to Moscow.

The 10-year Strategic Cooperation Agreement strengthens bilateral ties, covering key areas such as security, defense, trade, and technology, and a Glonass navigation station in Venezuela. The deal includes expanded initiatives on energy matters as part of both countries’ efforts to navigate US-led unilateral coercive measures, with a commitment to joint initiatives within multilateral energy organizations such as OPEC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Maduro also pledged closer cooperation between their countries at the United Nations in opposition to sanctions. The latest agreement, described by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as a “substantial” and “very important” framework, builds on over 350 existing agreements since 2019, and aims to boost economic resilience and counter Western sanctions through closer diplomatic and financial collaboration.

Maduro was in the Russian capital to participate in official commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. “Our presence here confirms that the path of humanity must be peace, understanding, respect for equality and is also an expression of the infinite historical admiration for the Russian people,” said Maduro during his appearance alongside Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Among the attendees for the 80th anniversary commemorations were Chinese President Xi Jinping and Burkinabé President Ibrahim Traoré. From Latin America, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also travelled to Moscow for the historic event. Maduro and Díaz-Canel together laid a wreath at the monument of Latin American independence hero Simón Bolívar in the Russian capital.

Maduro held a bilateral meeting with Burkina Faso’s Traoré on the sidelines of the official celebrations. The Venezuelan president also met with Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov and Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Commemorations included a massive military parade on Red Square in the presence of dozens of world leaders on Friday, which Maduro described as “impressive and imposing.”

“We give credit to members of the Resistance who bravely fought Nazism as well as the troops of the allied armies of the United States, Great Britain and other countries. We remember and honor the feat of Chinese soldiers in the fight against Japanese militarism,” said Putin at the start of the military parade.

At a gala held a day earlier at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Maduro was seated next to Chinese President Xi. The two leaders later held high-level bilateral talks where Maduro celebrated the agreement establishing an “all-weather strategic partnership” between Beijing and Caracas.

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez recently visited China as part of the country’s push for strengthened economic and political ties with China. The Asian giant is Venezuela’s main destination for crude exports.

‘We’ll work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to firmly safeguard the international system,’ he said. On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed support for Latin American countries in their rejection of foreign interference in domestic affairs.

This show of support for national sovereignty came during the opening address of the 4th China-CELAC Ministerial Forum, held with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). “China supports the countries of the region in safeguarding their national sovereignty and independence,” Xi said, urging CELAC nations to “pursue a development path suited to their national conditions.”

In addition to the foreign ministers of CELAC countries, the forum includes the participation of presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gabriel Boric of Chile, and Gustavo Petro of Colombia, who currently holds CELAC’s rotating presidency. Xi emphasized that China and Latin American countries are “important members of the Global South” and must remain united amid rising geopolitical tensions, bloc confrontations and increasing tendencies toward unilateralism and protectionism.

“We will work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to firmly safeguard the international system and speak with one voice on international and regional affairs,” he said.

“Development and revitalization are our inherent rights, and fairness and justice are our shared aspirations,” Xi added, in the face of “geopolitical turmoil and confrontation.” He highlighted joint efforts “to practice true multilateralism, uphold international fairness and justice, and promote the reform of the global governance system to advance multipolarity.”

The Chinese leader noted that trade between China and Latin America surpassed US$500 billion for the first time in 2024 and said his country is committed to continued mutual support with CELAC nations on issues concerning their “core interests and major concerns.”

Xi also announced that China would extend a US$9.2 billion line of credit to the region and enhance cooperation on security and law enforcement.

“We must deepen exchanges across various sectors and strengthen communication and coordination on significant international and regional issues,” Xi said. He added that Beijing will invite 300 political party leaders from CELAC countries to visit China to “exchange experiences on governance.”

The 4th China-CELAC forum will address issues including electrical interconnection, renewable energy, trade integration, projects linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and access to natural resources such as lithium, rare earth elements, oil, and copper.

Beijing, May 13 (Prensa Latina) “No country can get ahead on its own,” Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized here today, stressing that Latin America and the Caribbean must work together to overcome historic challenges. The president made this call during the opening of the IV Ministerial Meeting of the China-Celac Forum (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), with the participation of his host, Xi Jinping, as well as other leaders of the region.

In Lula's opinion, Latin America faces a crossroads: to remain a region marked by poverty or to become a center of sustainable, inclusive and fair development. He called for avoiding mistakes made in 500 years of history, such as exploitation and confrontation between blocs.

He added that the region should advocate for a multipolar order where developing countries have a voice and a vote in global affairs, while strengthening the South-South dialogue mechanism. Regarding ties with the Asian giant, he pondered the expansion of such ties over the last decade.

“Currently, China is Brazil's second largest trading partner and one of the most important partners for the region, with approximately 500 companies active in several Latin American countries,” he said.

He explained that the resources coming from Chinese financial institutions exceed even the credit offered by the World Bank or, at least, are comparable.

During the last decades, the boost in the export of raw materials has contributed to raising the region's profile in the global economy, Lula added.

The president considered that this economic flow has also allowed many countries to develop strategic projects in infrastructure, agriculture and energy. He also recalled Beijing's support during Covid-19 and the vaccines supplied from here to protect millions of people in the region.

"Challenges remain, however. The economic viability of many projects depends on better coordination among Latin American countries," he stressed.

Lula emphasized the importance of articulating common policies and facilitating the free movement of goods and services in LAC to take better advantage of initiatives such as the Belt and Road that promote the development of roads, railroads and digital networks.

"Long-term prosperity requires strong and balanced economies. Latin America and the Caribbean seek to reduce economic and social asymmetries through inclusive policies and international collaborations," he stressed.

In this regard, he said that cooperation with China can contribute to strengthening local industry and foster technological innovation. “The development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence should not become the exclusive privilege of a few countries,” he opined. According to Lula, a transition to low-carbon economies requires universal access to clean technologies, especially in vulnerable regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean.

Montevideo, May 13 (Prensa Latina) The specialized prosecutor for Crimes against Humanity, Ricardo Perciballe, requested the prosecution with imprisonment and the closing of borders for the former commander in chief of the Uruguayan Navy, Tabaré Daners, it was reported today.

Perciballe filed the same claim for sailors Nelson Wander Olivera, Raúl Fernando Lecumberry and Eduardo José Mendoza. All of them are being investigated for the torture of 10 members of the Union of Communist Youth (UJC) and the Communist Party of Uruguay (PCU) in August 1977.

In the document presented to the Justice the prosecutor points out that they were detained in the Fusileros Navales (Fusna), “interrogated and tortured so that they would admit their links to the referred structures, as well as to provide the names of other members”. The testimonies collected by the prosecutor give an account of the tortures they suffered while they were held in the Fusna.

“There are two forms of torture, physical (cattle prods, hangings, waterboarding, clubbing, kicking) and then there is psychological torture, which they do not touch (...) We were all subjected to the same treatment, all of this happened in the Fusna,” said one of the witnesses. Perciballe requested the prosecution of Daners for crimes of serious injuries, deprivation of liberty and private violence against the detainees. Tabaré Daners appears as summary judge in several cases in which the complainants ended up being prosecuted by the so-called “military justice” with “absolutely spurious” and “fraudulent” sentences, says the document from the prosecutor's office.

China’s Position: A Critical View

China has not remained silent, but its actions fall short of what’s needed from a socialist anti-imperialist power. Here’s the breakdown:

What China Has Done:

✅ Diplomatic Condemnations

• Called for an immediate ceasefire at the UN.
• Demanded Israel stop its "collective punishment" and condemned U.S. vetoes blocking Palestine’s statehood.

✅ Humanitarian Aid

• Sent multiple aid shipments (food, medical supplies).
• Pledged $2 million to UNRWA (while the West defunded it).

✅ Political Support for Palestine

• Recognized Palestine’s statehood since 1988.
• Hosted Palestinian officials, including Abbas (May 2024), reaffirming support for a two-state solution.

Where China Falls Short:

❌ No Strong Economic/Political Sanctions on Israel

• Unlike South Africa, China has not cut ties or imposed sanctions, despite Israel’s genocide.
• Trade with Israel continues (over $20 billion in 2023), including tech & arms-related deals.

❌ No Military or Strategic Counterbalance

• China has not armed Palestinian resistance (like Iran/Russia do via proxies).
• No naval blockades or direct pressure to break Israel’s siege.

❌ Avoiding "Genocide" Label

• While condemning violence, China hasn’t officially called it genocide (unlike South Africa’s ICJ case).

Is This Enough? A Socialist Perspective

From a revolutionary anti-imperialist view, China’s stance is disappointing but pragmatic:

• Why? China prioritizes economic stability and avoids direct confrontation with the U.S./West.
• But: True socialism should mean uncompromising solidarity—like Cuba’s or Vietnam’s historic support for liberation struggles.

What Could China Do?

1. Lead an Oil/Arms Embargo on Israel (like Arab states in 1973).
2. Recognize Hamas as a Resistance Movement (as Russia/Iran do).
3. Send Naval Aid Ships to Break Gaza’s Siege (like the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, but state-backed).
4. Support South Africa’s ICJ Case More Strongly (file its own genocide charges).

Conclusion: A Call for Stronger Action

China is not complicit like the West, but its caution risks enabling genocide by inaction. If socialism means "a world to win," then China must move beyond statements and take real economic-military measures against Israel.