Lavrov at UN demands Maduro release, end to Cuba blockade

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov used a UN platform to demand the release of Venezuelan President Maduro, detained in Caracas on January 3, and to call for an end to the US blockade on Cuba. This marks a direct Russian intervention in the Venezuela crisis, framing the detention as a violation of international norms. The move signals heightened geopolitical friction between Russia and the US-led bloc over Latin America, though the practical impact depends on UN response and US posture.