Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro recently praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his handling of a mutiny involving the Wagner mercenary group.
This draws attention because the Wagner Group has a history of operating in Venezuela, serving Maduro’s interests.
In early 2019, sources reported that private military companies linked to the Wagner Group sent fighters to provide “security” for Maduro, who was facing protests for democracy at the time.
Approximately 400 men arrived in Venezuela, some of whom had transited through Cuba.
The Wagner Group also trained elite Venezuelan combat units and participated in training pro-Maduro militias alongside Colombian guerrillas in the state of Táchira.
Furthermore, the Wagner Group is active in Venezuela, protecting oil refineries and providing personal security for Russian commercial entities, including units of Rosneft, the Russian state oil giant.
Mining is another area of focus for the Wagner Group in Venezuela.
The presence of thorium in the Orinoco Mining Arc has attracted Russian interest, with allegations that Maduro’s government has given access to thorium mines to Russia and Iran.
There are suggestions that the Wagner Group may be involved in protecting Russian extraction points for thorium in Venezuela, as they have a history of direct involvement in the extraction of wealth in other countries, such as gold mining in Sudan.
The UK government has reinforced the hypothesis of the Wagner Group’s direct involvement in Venezuela.
They have stated that Wagner-affiliated mercenaries have supported the Maduro regime and have been implicated in illegal gold mining, which involves human rights abuses and environmental damage in the country.
Despite being referred to as “traitors” by some, the Wagner mercenaries seem to have found a comfortable place under the protection of the Venezuelan regime.
With information from Gazeta do Povo
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