Reports indicated on Friday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has sent urgent letters to Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran requesting military and defense assistance as U.S. naval deployments intensify near the Caribbean. The leaked U.S. government documents reveal Maduro's plea for radar systems, drones, missiles, and fighter jets to counter what he described as an“imminent U.S. invasion.”

According to CNN, the letters underscore Maduro's growing anxiety as Washington increases its military posture in the region. The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford - America's most advanced warship - has heightened tensions, with at least 61 people reportedly killed in recent U.S. maritime operations against alleged smugglers in Venezuelan waters.

In his letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Maduro requested the refurbishment of Venezuela's Su-30 fighter jets, the repair of radar systems, and the delivery of 14 new missile batteries. He also proposed a three-year financing plan through the Russian defense conglomerate Rostec to fund these purchases.

CNN reported that Venezuela's transport minister traveled to Moscow carrying Maduro's message for Putin, while the Venezuelan leader also reached out to Iran for surveillance drones, GPS jammers, and other electronic warfare equipment. In a separate message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Maduro sought faster military cooperation to strengthen bilateral defense ties amid what he called“growing tensions with the United States.”

Russia's Foreign Ministry responded that it“supports Venezuela's defense of its national sovereignty” and remains“ready to assist its partner against external threats.” Analysts, however, told CNN that Russia's investment in Venezuela has significantly decreased since the start of the Ukraine war, limiting its capacity to provide large-scale aid.

Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America Energy Program at Rice University, said Russian firms still control roughly 11% of Venezuela's oil production and earn around $67 million monthly but have suspended new projects.

Analysts warned that a collapse of Maduro's government would deal a strategic blow to Moscow, which risks losing a vital Latin American ally and weakening its geopolitical foothold in the Western Hemisphere, including its influence over Cuba.

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