Russia continues playing role in shaping the future of Venezuela

While the government of Venezuela has looked increasingly shaky because of the coronavirus and a shortage of gasoline, Vladimir Putin is emerging again as a critical lifeline for the embattled regime. As the United States pushes for political change in Venezuela, the Russian state owned oil company Rosneft has helped Nicolas Maduro circumvent American sanctions by exporting as much as 70 percent of its oil through its subsidiaries when few…