(MENAFN) Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has turned to Russia, China, and Iran in an effort to rebuild the nation’s weakened defense systems as the United States expands its military presence in the Caribbean, according to reports citing internal U.S. documents.

The documents indicate that Maduro is seeking foreign assistance for radar installations, aircraft maintenance, and possibly missile procurement. His outreach to Moscow was reportedly conveyed through a formal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was delivered earlier in the month by a senior Venezuelan aide.

In addition, Maduro addressed Chinese President Xi Jinping in another letter calling for “expanded military cooperation” to counter what he described as “the escalation between the U.S. and Venezuela.” According to reports, he urged Chinese companies to accelerate production of radar detection systems intended to reinforce Venezuela’s air defenses.

U.S. records also revealed that “in the missive, Maduro emphasized the seriousness of perceived U.S. aggression in the Caribbean, framing U.S. military action against Venezuela as action against China due to their shared ideology.”

The same documents noted that Venezuela’s Transport Minister, Ramon Celestino Velasquez, organized a shipment of drones and military equipment from Iran. He reportedly told an Iranian official that Venezuela required “passive detection equipment,” “GPS scramblers,” and “almost certainly drones with 1,000 km [600 mile] range.”

The heightened U.S. presence in the Caribbean represents one of the biggest challenges Maduro has faced since assuming office in 2013. Washington has reportedly carried out over a dozen operations targeting vessels it claimed were involved in drug trafficking from Venezuelan waters, resulting in at least 61 deaths since September. The U.S. has not released evidence to substantiate those claims, while Maduro has consistently dismissed them.

In early October, during a conversation with Venezuela’s foreign minister, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “expressed serious concern about the increasing escalation of Washington’s activities in the Caribbean Sea.” Shortly afterward, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed that Moscow “respects Venezuela’s sovereignty” and believes the issue should be addressed according to “international law.”

Later that month, Velasquez traveled to Moscow for discussions with his Russian counterpart, according to reports from Russian authorities. Documents show that he was also responsible for hand-delivering Maduro’s message to Putin.

In his correspondence, Maduro appealed to Russia for help in upgrading Venezuela’s air defense capabilities, including the restoration of several Russian-made Sukhoi Su-20MK2 fighter jets. He also sought assistance with refurbishing aircraft engines, repairing radar systems, obtaining missile systems, and securing additional logistical support.

According to the U.S. records, Maduro emphasized that the Sukhoi aircraft “represented the most important deterrent” for Venezuela and proposed a “medium-term financing plan of three years” through the Russian defense conglomerate Rostec, though no financial figure was disclosed.

Experts cited in reports noted that much of Venezuela’s current arsenal is outdated or nonfunctional. A former Venezuelan military officer claimed that by 2018, fewer than five of the Russian-made Sukhoi jets were still operational. The officer also stated that while former President Hugo Chávez purchased Russian helicopters and missile systems, most are now obsolete. “Chavez bought, or Russia sold Venezuela, pure junk,” said the officer.

Despite these challenges, Maduro recently announced that the country has deployed 5,000 Russian-made Igla-S portable air-defense systems across Venezuela.

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