A Russian fleet present in Venezuela, at a time when the Eurasian nation and the United States are involved in a climate of confrontation due to the crisis in Georgia, threatens to bring the conflict to the Venezuelan territory, according to analysts.

Julio César Pineda, a foreign affairs analyst, explains that there is a tacit balance whereby the super powers have their areas of influence. Pineda says that "the facilitation of Venezuelan territory for a potential transit of a Russian fleet or joint military exercises, and more seriously, the possibility of deploying nuclear submarines, could alarm considerably the European Union and the United States."

The foreign affairs analyst says that the deployment of such a fleet in Venezuelan waters means that "Venezuela shall be engaged in major world conflicts". "We will be isolated from the European Union; we will confront the United States and will be out of Latin American neutrality," he added.

Furthermore, Thomas Gomart, of the Paris-based French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) said: "(Russia's decision to send warships to Venezuela) will be regarded as a move to increase tensions, and this is a worrying issue", AFP reported.

The announcement of the Caribbean manoeuvres, in the midst of the Caucasus crisis, "seems to represent a two-way strategy from Moscow:  an overt challenge to the US hegemony and a gesture of support to the policies on nationalization of the energy business which have had Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as one of its main representatives," the expert said.

Pineda compared the role played by Cuba during the Cold War with the position taken by the Venezuelan government at this moment. He considers that both positions are similar "with the aggravating circumstance that Cuba has not oil and this factor worsens the situation."

Pineda added that Russia is interested in bringing a navy fleet to Venezuela to play a new hegemonic role and "President Chávez offers all possibilities to help them to reach this goal."

Meanwhile, former Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Defense Minister Fernando Ochoa Antich said that the situation "revives memories of the Cold War." "President Chávez's decision to engage Venezuela in such a complicated international game is extremely irresponsible."

The Russian flotilla
The Northern Russian Fleet confirmed on Monday the navy exercises that will be conducted along with Venezuela. Russian military officers confirmed, through a note, that the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great, which carries both conventional and nuclear missiles, will be one of the warships to sail Venezuelan waters.

During the joint exercises, the Russian navy is expected to deploy the Admiral Chabanenko anti-submarine destroyer, a rescue vessel and a tanker ship. Besides, a "temporary basing of anti-submarine aircrafts of the Russian Navy at an airport in Venezuela will be established," said on Monday the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko.

Translated by: Gerardo Cárdenas