The former president and head of the ruling United Russia party wrote this Friday on his Telegram channel that, “the year began tumultuously, and above all, its beginning will be remembered for Maduro’s kidnapping.”

Medvedev stated that, “of course, this is rude and repugnant, or, to put it more eloquently, a universal catastrophe in international relations.”

He also suggested that the United States will either “let go” of the Venezuelan leader or “become a new Latin American Mandela.”

He believes that Maduro’s name could go down in South American history alongside Bolivar and Chavez.

Medvedev also believes the situation in Venezuela will worsen if the country’s authorities refuse to share oil with the United States.

He further expressed doubts about the necessity of a ground operation for the current US administration, noting that the Senate has already limited President Donald Trump’s options and that such an operation “would be far bloodier than kidnapping Maduro.”

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