‘Closing his eyes’: Why is Russia’s Putin quiet on US abduction of Maduro?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Mansur MirovalevJanuary 6, 2026 at 12:05 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In January 2026, the US abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is now awaiting trial in New York on drug trafficking charges. Prior to the abduction, US military forces struck Russian-supplied air defense systems in Venezuela. Despite a defense cooperation treaty, Russia did not intervene militarily, and President Putin has remained publicly silent. Experts suggest this inaction damages Russia's international reputation, particularly as Maduro was a key ally in Latin America. However, some analysts believe Putin may see long-term benefits in the US action, as it could justify Russia's own interventions in Ukraine and Central Asia, establishing a new world order. The situation has sparked memes in Russia referencing leaders who were previously Moscow's allies but were toppled or fled to Russia.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Donald Trump 30% Viktor Yanukovych 30% Syria 40% Ukraine ×240% Bashar al-Assad 40% Muammar Gaddafi 50% Moscow ×360% Venezuela ×470% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×470% United States ×380% Russia ×480% Vladimir Putin (Putin) ×690%

Keywords

putin 100% us abduction 90% maduro 90% russia 90% venezuela 80% international relations 70% foreign policy 60% strategic alliance 50% new world order 50%