Putin Receives Faithful Leaders of Cuba and Venezuela
Key pieces in Moscow’s strategic alliance with the Bolivarian Axis
Although there were only three of them in the Red Army, the Russian president celebrates the participation of Cubans in World War II.
HAVANA TIMES – In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism, the Kremlin has brought out its symbolic and ideological muscle, strengthening alliances with its most loyal Latin American partners: Cuba and Venezuela. In a week full of gestures, speeches and signing agreements, Vladimir Putin and his chancellor, Sergei Lavrov, have made it clear that for Moscow, the “Bolivarian axis” is not only still in place but is also projected as a geopolitical counterweight in times of war and sanctions.
Miguel Díaz-Canel and Nicolás Maduro, faithful to their roles as ideological allies of the Kremlin, attended the meeting punctually with speeches, flowers and cooperation treaties. They arrived in the Russian capital separately, but with similar speeches. One spoke of historical memory, the other of multipolarity, and both hailed the “unbreakable friendship” with Russia. Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to reinforce his image as a global leader besieged but not alone.
In his meeting with Diaz-Canel on Wednesday, Putin highlighted the island’s role in World War II, which the Russians called the Great Patriotic War. “Cuba made its contribution to the fight against Nazism,” he told his Cuban counterpart. “Cuban volunteers fought alongside army soldiers, particularly near Leningrad.” In fact, there were three Cubans: Enrique Vilar and the brothers Aldo and Jorge Vivó, who arrived in the USSR as children. Of these, only Jorge survived the experience.
Díaz-Canel, for his part, said that it is “very significant” to be in Moscow on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi army on the Eastern Front and the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Castro regime and the then Soviet Union.
“The Russian people have the merit of saving humanity from fascism,” he said, while denouncing attempts to “diminish the leading and heroic role” of the Soviet Union in the victory over fascism. According to the president, “telling the true story” is the best way to “preserve historical memory.”
For the official Cuban media, Lavrov signed an article that could well be titled “Love Letters to Castro.” There he reiterated the “seamless support” of the Kremlin to its Caribbean partner. “Cuba can always count on our support,” he wrote, and not content with that, he added that he hopes the support will be reciprocal. A gesture of courtesy, of course, but also a subtle reminder of the rules of the game between allies.
The tone of the message mixes Soviet epic and utilitarian diplomacy: “We are on the right side of History,” Lavrov said, with no apparent irony. He also stressed Havana’s support for Moscow in “the hybrid war unleashed by the West,” referring to the conflict in Ukraine. There was no lack of references to strategic cooperation, the more than 100 Russian investment projects on the island and gratitude for Cuban support in international organizations.
Yes, what Havana is urgently looking for is less ideology and more resources. In its worst economic crisis in decades, with blackouts, shortages and rampant inflation, Cuba sees Russia as a lifeline. But this lifeline comes with conditions: to align politically and attend the Red Square parades on time.
Despite the fact that the Russian Foreign Minister called the island a “priority partner,” Putin preferred to meet with Maduro first. While Díaz-Canel strolled through Moscow and placed flowers next to the statue of Fidel Castro, Maduro signed a new Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in the Kremlin. He did so between praise for the Red Army, recalling that it saved the world with “27 million martyrs” and declaring that Russia is today “the main power of humanity.”
The agreement with Venezuela seeks to consolidate “long-term” relations in sectors such as energy, logistics, health and transport. Putin welcomed the fact that bilateral trade increased by 64% in 2024, although it remains modest in absolute numbers (about $200 million). The photos, however, are more valuable than the balances: in them, Putin and Maduro smile like old comrades, sealing the narrative of a global resistance against the “empire” and its allies.
The simultaneity of these gestures is not accidental. In international chess, Moscow carefully cultivates its network of allies with discourses of sovereignty, multipolarity and historical fraternity. Cuba and Venezuela are key pieces: loyal, predictable and willing to attend the required forums and ceremonies. In return, they get oil, wheat, credit, and something even more scarce: international legitimacy.
For the three governments – Russia, Cuba and Venezuela – this type of diplomatic staging serves to reinforce the domestic narrative that they are not isolated, they have powerful partners, and the “new world order” is underway. All this, even if ordinary citizens continue to face blackouts, sanctions, inflation and an institutional inertia difficult to disguise with parades and hugs.
Translated by Regina Anavy for Translating Cuba.