With attribution to Mark Twain’s remark about false reports of his death, a Wall Street Journal report on Russia withdrawing defense support to Venezuela is greatly exaggerated. See below.

Trump is Exhibit A proof that all politicians lie, and nothing they say can be believed. Once a serial liar, always one. On Monday, he tweeted the following fake news:

“Russia has informed us that they have removed most of their people from Venezuela.”

No such report exists. See below.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

According to a June 2 Journal report, Russia “withdr(ew) key defense advisors from Venezuela,” adding:

“Russian state defense contractor Rostec,” working with Venezuela’s military, “cut its staff in (the country) to just a few dozen from about 1,000 (for) lack of new contracts (and claim that Maduro) no longer has…cash” to pay Rostec — citing an unnamed source allegedly “close” to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

Another unnamed source allegedly “close” to the Kremlin claimed Rostec “believe(s) the fight is being lost,” adding:

“Since the Venezuelans aren’t paying, why should Rostec stay there and foot the bill on its own.”

A Rostec statement refutes the Journal’s report, saying  “(t)he composition of (its presence in Venezuela) has not changed for many years.”

“Technical specialists periodically come to the country to carry out repairs and maintenance of previously supplied machines.”

“The figures (reported by the WSJ) have been exaggerated tens of times.” According to Russian arms producer Rosoboronexport, Moscow and Maduro’s government intend to increase cooperation, adding:

Russian companies “remain committed to deepening cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and other departments of the Venezuelan government.”

Hundreds of Russian military and security personnel remain in Venezuela. Nothing suggests Vladimir Putin is drawing down Kremlin support for the Bolivarian Republic and Maduro as its legitimate president.

Responding to the Journal’s Sunday report, Moscow’s envoy to the Bolivarian Republic Vladimir Zaemsky refuted the claim on Monday, saying:

“This is another piece of (fake) ‘news’ which has absolutely nothing to do with reality. Work is being carried out in accordance with existing obligations, and there is no talk of any cuts.”

Based on a bilateral 2001 agreement, Russia is involved with Venezuela cooperatively, a mutually beneficial alliance unacceptable US demands to leave the country won’t change.

Weeks earlier, the Kremlin rejected the Trump regime’s demand that Russian personnel leave. In recent months, Russian and Venezuelan officials discussed deepening bilateral ties, including ways to counter and circumvent illegal US sanctions Moscow rejects.

Both countries have been working on ways to increase Venezuelan oil exports, imports of food and medicines, along with protecting the nation’s electrical grid and other infrastructure from further US orchestrated sabotage.

Their ruling authorities have been deepening cooperation on science and technology, aerospace, defense, agriculture, electricity, oil, industrial development, and other areas of Venezuela’s economy.

Weeks earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said

“(w)e are concerned over the continuing actions by the United States toward the countries of the Latin American region. We see the sanctions as absolutely unlawful and illegitimate.”

“We will oppose them. Venezuela and Cuba are our allies and strategic partners in the region. We will do everything we can to let them feel our support.”

Around the same time, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will defend its interests in Venezuela with “all mechanisms available to us.”

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and his Venezuelan counterpart Manuel Quevedo have been working on ways to increase state oil company PDVSA’s exports.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the Bolivarian Republic “continue(s) strengthening our relations with Russia” politically, economically, financially, on trade, and militarily.

Earlier, Rosoboronexport said the company and other Russian enterprises are “partaking in the Russian-Venezuelan military-technical cooperation, remain committed to deepening partnership with the defense ministry and other government bodies of Venezuela.”

Russian minister counselor at its embassy in Caracas, Alexey Seredin, said relations “between (both countries) are excellent. At the moment, we are working to strengthen cooperation.”

The record of Russian Federation relations with allied countries shows Kremlin support, cooperation, and good faith are firm.

The Journal’s report claiming otherwise about Russia’s military involvement in Venezuela lacks credibility.

Establishment media are militantly hostile to Bolivarian social democracy and Maduro’s legitimacy as president.

Since imposter Guaido illegally self-declared himself interim president in January, they’ve waged intense propaganda war on Venezuela, vilifying Maduro, ignoring his legitimacy, supporting unlawful regime change.

They’re virtual imperial press agents for the diabolical plot to remove him and transform the Bolivarian Republic into a US client state — supporting what demands denunciation.

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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Featured image is from Moscow Times