Russia Accuses US of Preparing Military Intervention in Venezuela

A top Russian security official on Tuesday accused the United States of deploying forces in Puerto Rico and Colombia in preparation for a military intervention in Venezuela to topple, President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela has been plunged into political turmoil and was rocked by violent clashes at the weekend.

The U.S. and a raft of other countries have backed the country’s opposition, while China and Russia have stood by Maduro’s government.

“…The U.S. is preparing a military invasion of an independent state,” Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, said.

“The transfer of American special operations forces to Puerto Rico, the landing of U.S. forces in Colombia.

“And other facts indicate the Pentagon is reinforcing its troops in the region in order to use them in an operation to remove … Maduro from power.”

Patrushev said that Washington had asked Moscow for consultations on Venezuela and that Russia had agreed, but that U.S. officials had repeatedly postponed them under false pretexts.

U.S. officials have previously dismissed Russian allegations about U.S. plans for Venezuela as baseless “propaganda.”

Also, the U.S. targeted Venezuela’s government with new sanctions on Monday

It also called on allies to freeze the assets of its state-owned oil company PDVSA after deadly violence blocked humanitarian aid from reaching the country over the weekend.

The Trump administration also took its pressure campaign to the UN Security Council, asking it to discuss the situation in Venezuela, diplomats said.

The U.S. Vice President, Mike Pence, said the U.S. would stand by Guaido until freedom was restored and also said tougher measures were coming against the OPEC member.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognised as the country’s rightful interim ruler.