American actor and producer Steven Seagal, known for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, presented a samurai sword to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, according to images broadcast on state television.
The martial arts actor handed a katana sword to President Maduro, who was wearing a muzzle while Segal was uncovered and dressed in black.
Maduro initiated various fighting postures with the sword.
Maduro was reelected in 2018 after a presidential election that was criticized and boycotted by the opposition. The United States and many European and Latin American countries did not acknowledge the results. And Washington imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to overthrow Maduro, who inherited power from former President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013).
Maduro says publicly that he is anti-imperialist and criticizes the "gringos" (the Americans).
The authority under Maduro, as it did in the era of Chavez, highlights the visits of some personalities and boasts of their support for the "Bolivarian Revolution".
Stars who have visited Caracas include footballer Diego Maradona, actors Sean Penn and Danny Glover, director Oliver Stone and model Naomi Campbell.
Former Hollywood movie star and aikido expert Stephen Segal acquired Russian citizenship from Russian President Vladimir Putin in November 2016.
