With gifts and without a mask: this is how Steven Seagal visited the dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro

American actor and producer Steven Seagal, traveled to Venezuela to visit the dictator of that country, Nicolás Maduro. In addition, he gave him a samurai sword during, after a meeting at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, which he attended without wearing a mask to prevent the coronavirus.

Dressed in black and his face uncovered, the actor, a martial arts specialist, presented the “katana” (the classic Japanese sword) to Maduro.

The dictator posed with the sword handed over by Seagal, who has had Russian nationality since 2006 and is a staunch supporter and friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The actor visited Venezuela as a special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The 69-year-old American actor’s meeting with the dictator was broadcast on the public channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).

Steven Seagal, ranked master of aikido (martial art), was appointed in 2018 as special envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry for issues related to cultural relations between the Eurasian country and the United States.

The sword the Hollywood actor gave the Venezuelan tyrant was the same one he used in one of his film recordings.

In front of the cameras of the state channel VTV, Maduro drew the sword with the help of Seagal and immediately began to maneuver it, then hugged the actor, who showed his sympathy for the dictator.

There was no statement from the meeting, which was also attended by Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores, chavist parliament speaker Jorge Rodríguez, and dictatorship communications minister Freddy Ñáñez.

Maduro received at the Miraflores office various representatives of the artistic world, such as the Mexican singer Juan Gabriel in 2013 or the Brazilian Beth Carvalho in 2014.

Steven Segal has become a controversial figure after being mentioned in alleged cases of sexual harassment in the film world, the great admiration he professes for the President of Russia, Vladimir Poutine, whose nationality he acquired, and his participation in groups of armed volunteers who monitor the border with Mexico to fight against illegal immigration.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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