Xi backs Maduro, calls China and Venezuela ‘intimate friends’ as Trump steps up military pressure

Chinese President Xi Jinping has chosen his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, in his clash with US President Donald Trump. The US-Venezuela tensions over alleged drug cartels have spilt over into Maduro’s political reign in Caracas.

Xi and Maduro have exchanged a series of letters with each other, where they highlighted their countries’ commitment to Venezuela’s sovereignty, national security, and stability. The letters were exchanged on the eve of Maduro’s birthday, which falls on November 23.

In his letter, Xi referred to China and Venezuela as “intimate friends, dear brothers, and good partners” and denounced “interference by external forces in Venezuela’s internal affairs under any pretext.” He pledged that Beijing would “continue to resolutely support Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty and national security, national dignity, and social stability.”

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Meanwhile, Venezuela has called the US’s terrorist designation of an alleged drug cartel on its territory a “ridiculous lie”, aimed at paving the way for an “illegitimate” military intervention and a way of kicking President Nicolas Maduro out of power.

The Trump administration officially declared a Venezuelan group called ‘Cartel de los Soles’ a terrorist organisation on Monday, despite doubts over its existence. The move was the latest in Washington’s efforts to combat the South American drug problem, which President Donald Trump claims is “ruining the lives of Americans.”

Venezuela’s foreign ministry has rejected what it called “the new and ridiculous lie from Secretary of State Marco Rubio”, which it said aimed “to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela.”

The US has deployed the world’s largest aircraft carrier and other military forces to waters near Venezuela as part of a stated campaign to dismantle Latin American drug trafficking routes.

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The Trump administration claims that the Cartel of the Suns is a drug trafficking syndicate run by Maduro and has issued a $50 million reward for the president’s capture.