Speaking at the plenary session of the State Duma (Lower House of Parliament), Lavrov emphasized that Moscow maintains “very close, friendly and long-term ties with Latin American countries, not only with Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, although they are probably our closest partners and friends.

In this regard, he recalled that in recent days President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with his counterparts from Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel; Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega; and Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, to address the strengthening of joint strategic cooperation.

The head of Russian diplomacy stressed that Moscow maintains very close contacts with Argentina, Bolivia and also with Brazil, as a member country of the BRICS group, the TASS news agency reported.

He added that the new government of Chile “is interested in ensuring that relations with Russia are not victims of the so-called Monroe Doctrine, to which Washington remains committed.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled that Russia has always been a friend and has established beneficial cooperation for both parties with all Latin American countries, “regardless of who and how they conduct politics in them.”

He also spoke of the collaboration of Moscow with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, which he considered to be advancing systematically.

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