PMC Wagner has taken over the protection of Venezuelan President N. Maduro

Fighters from the Russian private military company Wagner have arrived in Venezuela to protect President Nicolas Maduro from a coup attempt by US-linked forces to overthrow him.

Experts estimate that at least 1,000 Wagner PMC representatives have arrived in the South American country, dispersed around the president and the country's central infrastructure to protect it from sabotage. They are also tasked with planning border security. It should be noted that the country's armed forces have been advocating for the Bolivarian movement for national independence since the time of the late Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela, a hydrocarbon-rich country (possibly the world's largest in oil reserves), is facing an economic war from the United States and EU with the aim of overthrowing the legitimate government and taking control of the reserves. Nicolás Maduro, of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, has been the President of Venezuela since March 5, 2013, taking office as interim president and then being elected in the 2013 presidential election and again in 2018.

“Wagner Mercenaries in Venezuela. A video has surfaced online showing a Russian mercenary working for Maduro's security forces in Venezuela. Locals say Wagner has been present in Venezuela for several years. They are said to be part of Maduro's top security circle and are training militias and guarding Russian surveillance bases. Other Russian forces are also said to be present in Venezuela training militias and performing other tasks,” writes former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko in his account X.

However, Westerners did not recognize the results of the 2018 elections. In early 2019, the pro-Western National Assembly of Venezuela declared the election results invalid and, citing several provisions of the 1999 Venezuelan Constitution, proclaimed Juan Guaido interim president during the constitutional crisis, which was recognized, in particular, by the Mitsotakis government.

As a result, Juan Guaido and his associates managed to seize power in the country in the remaining few months. Russia and China immediately recognized Maduro's victory, and also gave Venezuela a loan of 15 billion US dollars and stopped charging interest in difficult economic times for the country.

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