Once the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, many countries within Latin America felt compelled to show support for the European nation under attack. However, Russian allies in the region have also spoken out against Western sanctions on Moscow or have passively shown a lack of support for Ukraine as the conflict enters its third week. In a speech delivered on March 7, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro directly blamed Western nations for Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “Those who provoked this conflict with decades of non-compliance with agreements, with decades of threats against Russia, with decades of preparing plans for the extension of NATO are the first ones who are responsible for de-escalating this conflict.” Maduro’s comments came only two days after a high-level U.S. delegation met with the socialist president’s regime to discuss a possible easing of sanctions and alternative oil resources for the United States. Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega …