Bid to bring vote on Venezuela to the UN

The United States is calling for a vote on a UN resolution urging ‘‘the peaceful restoration of democracy’’ in Venezuela, free and fair presidential elections, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all people in need – and making clear its support for opposition leader Juan Guaido.

The draft resolution is expected to be put to a vote this afternoon, a council diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of an expected announcement. But it is likely to face a veto from Russia, which backs Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the May 20 election that kept him in power.

The proposed resolution, obtained yesterday by The Associated Press, also expresses ‘‘deep concern’’ at ‘‘the violence and excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces against unarmed, peaceful protesters’’ and ‘‘recent attempts to block the delivery of humanitarian aid.’’

At a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the weekend attempt by the Venezuelan opposition to carry in aid shipments from Colombia nothing but a ‘‘humanitarian show’’. He said the Trump administration’s sole aim is ‘‘regime change, including with threats to do so via foreign intervention’’ in violation of the UN Charter’s principle of noninterference.

Elliott Abrams, the US envoy for Venezuela, shot back: ‘‘I reject from start to finish, I reject from top to bottom, accusations of military interventions from a country that is occupying the territory of Georgia and Ukraine.’’

Before the council meeting, Abrams told reporters that US policy ‘‘is to use as much diplomatic and economic and political pressure as we can’’ along with the dozens of countries backing Guaido ‘‘to support the Venezuelan people’s desire for democracy.’’

The US draft resolution makes some significant changes from the administration’s initial draft, in what one diplomat called an attempt to address Russian concerns.