Russian Lawmakers Create Committee to 'Free' Nicolás Maduro

Communist party members seek to liberate Venezuela's deposed dictator and his wife from U.S. custody

Jan. 29, 2026 at 12:55pm

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Communist lawmakers from Russia's State Duma have established a committee seeking to achieve the 'liberation' of Venezuela's deposed socialist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. The Russian embassy in Caracas announced the creation of the 27-member committee, which was presented by CRPF Vice President Dmitri Novikov during a press conference in Moscow.

Why it matters

Russia has been a key ally of the Venezuelan socialist regime for over two decades, providing military equipment and political support. The creation of this committee signals Russia's continued efforts to undermine U.S. actions against the Maduro regime and potentially interfere in the legal proceedings against the deposed dictator and his wife.

The details

The committee was created by lawmakers from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) to 'fight' for the release of Maduro and Flores, who were captured by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3, 2026 and are currently detained in Brooklyn. Novikov claimed there are 'historical precedents' that would serve toward the goal of Maduro's release, such as the cases of Bulgaria's late Communist Prime Minster Georgy Dimitrov and late South African President Nelson Mandela.

  • On January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces executed a law enforcement operation in Caracas that led to the successful capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
  • The committee was announced on January 29, 2026.

The players

Nicolás Maduro

The deposed socialist dictator of Venezuela who ruled the country for nearly 13 years after being appointed successor by the late Hugo Chávez. Maduro is currently detained in the U.S. and awaiting trial on narco-terrorism charges.

Cilia Flores

The wife of Nicolás Maduro, who was captured alongside her husband by U.S. forces in Caracas and is also currently detained in the U.S.

Dmitri Novikov

The Vice President of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), who presented the committee seeking to 'liberate' Maduro and Flores during a press conference in Moscow.

Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov

The Russian ambassador to Caracas, who claimed that Maduro was allegedly 'betrayed' by individuals who 'collaborated' with U.S. intelligence, leading to his capture.

Jesús Salazar

The Venezuelan ambassador to Moscow, who called for a series of upcoming events on February 13 as part of the regime's 'We Want Them Back' campaign demanding the release of Maduro and Flores.

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What they’re saying

“We entered the struggle for the liberation of Nicolás Maduro with the conviction that we are right and with the understanding that there is a history of success, a history of this type of struggle.”

— Dmitri Novikov, CRPF Vice President (Tass)

“If you possess honor, conscience, and principles, you join the fight, demonstrating solidarity without calculating odds. If there's a 99 percent chance of success, I will participate; if only 9 percent, I might hesitate.”

— Dmitri Novikov, CRPF Vice President (Tass)

“As for betrayal, it was probably betrayal, it was probably indecisiveness, and, surely, sheer negligence of office duties. Otherwise, if this was not the case and everything had functioned as usual, the Venezuelans would have had every opportunity to at least inflict some damage on the enemy, both in terms of manpower and weaponry.”

— Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, Russian Ambassador to Caracas (Rossiya 24)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This committee's creation underscores Russia's continued support for the Maduro regime and its efforts to undermine U.S. actions against the deposed Venezuelan dictator. It raises concerns about potential Russian interference in the legal proceedings against Maduro and his wife, as well as the broader implications for U.S.-Russia relations and the future of Venezuela's political landscape.