How Venezuela Became Russia's Main Strategic Partner in South America: A History of Moscow-Caracas Cooperation in a Multipolar Scenario

From Hugo Chávez's inauguration as president of Venezuela in 1999 to the present day under President Nicolás Maduro, Caracas has become Moscow's main strategic partner in South America, through numerous cooperation agreements signed since then between the Kremlin and Miraflores Palace in various sectors, such as military, energy, technology, politics, and communications. This closeness has resulted in increased tourism by Russian citizens to the country. This relationship began to be built as a response by the Bolivarian government to the international isolation imposed on Venezuela by the United States through unilateral sanctions. Thus, the Venezuelan government recognized the Russian Federation as its main international partner in order to build an alternative political relationship (going beyond the economic sphere). Russian-Venezuelan cooperation has become an example of a multisectoral partnership in an increasingly multipolar world. Recently signed agreements point to lasting cooperation between the countries. Since Venezuela is a gateway for Russia to Latin America and the Caribbean, Venezuela, in turn, sees Russia as a route to international expansion and membership in groups like BRICS, which strengthens the presence of countries from the Global South. The research aims to historically portray the advancement of cooperation between Moscow and Caracas, highlighting the main agreements signed from 1999 to the first half of 2025 and how these treaties helped Venezuela secure its sovereignty despite frequent economic, political, and media pressure from the US.