VENEZUELA, RELATIONS WITH

Historically, bilateral ties between Moscow and Caracas have been weak to nonexistent; however, beginning in 1999 with the election of Hugo Chavez, a populist, left-leaning president, the two countries have drawn closer. Chavez quickly replaced Fidel Castro as the leading voice of anti-Americanism in Latin America, courting leaders fromIranand Iraq, much to the dismay of Washington. In the wake of theUnitedStates–led invasion of Iraq and U.S.-supportedcolor revolutionsin Russia’snear abroad,Vladimir Putinbegan to court closer ties to the Chavez government, hoping to facilitate the emergence of multipolarity in world politics as well as to expand Russia’s flagging internationalarms sales.Russian exports to Venezuela, nominal until 2004, have increased dramatically with the new relationship, totaling over $1 billion in 2007. The bulk of this trade has been in arms, particularly submarines, helicopters, late-model Kalashnikovs, and antiaircraft missile systems; total arms sales now exceed $4.4 billion.

At a presidential summit betweenDmitry Medvyedevand Chavez in mid-2008, the two countries agreed to coordinate energy policies, particularly with respect tooilandnatural gas; a deal onnuclear energyhas also been signed. Russian corporations such asLukoilandGazpromhave benefited from Chavez’s “Bolivarian revolution,” which has displaced British and American transnationals from much of his country’s economy. The two states have also increasedmilitaryandnavalcooperation in recent years, which is seen as a signal regarding Russia’s intent to increase influence in Latin America at the expense of Washington. On 10 September 2009, Venezuela recognized the independence ofAbkhaziaandSouth Ossetia, a move welcomed in Moscow.