Russian defense chief will tour 3 Latin American nations

Russia’s defense minister, Army Gen. Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, will arrive in Caracas on Wednesday (Feb. 11), on the first stop of a four-day tour that will also take him to Nicaragua and Cuba.

He is expected to meet with his Venezuelan counterpart, Army Gen. Vladimir Padrino López, and President Nicolás Maduro.

A statement from the Russian Defense Ministry said that “the sides will discuss topical issues of military and technical cooperation and exchange views on key issues of global and regional security.”

The head of the Ministry’s press service, Maj. Gen. Igor E. Konashenkov, said that this would be the first visit to the three countries by General Shoigu in his capacity as head of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Shoigu, 59, was appointed defense minister by President Putin in November 2012. Last year, he was quoted as saying that Russia plans to expand its permanent military presence in Latin America, specifically in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

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The Russian government plans “to actively develop defense ties with these three countries,” Konashenkov told reporters. “In particular, they will discuss material and technical support for [Russian] ships and access to local airfields.”

Shoigu’s tour will end Saturday (Feb. 14), Konashenko said.

[In photo at top, Shoigu (second from left in front row) is seen arriving in Caracas, Venezuela.]