US slams Russia over its joint military exercise with Venezuela

There is no dearth of reasons for tensions between Russia and the United States. However, they have now found a new battleground – Venezuela.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned the Russian Tu-160 bombers’ arrival in Venezuela on Monday for a joint training mission, calling it two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer.

Russia responded by calling the US criticism inappropriate from a country which, it said, could feed the whole of Africa with half its defence budget.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has consistently accused the US of plotting to overthrow him.

Al Jazeera’s Daniel Schweimler reports.