Russia warns US against using force in Venezuela
THE Russian Foreign Ministry warned Washington against any American interference, including using force, in Venezuela, which is facing a major leadership crisis, saying that Russia is set to start dialogue between government and opposition “in line with U.N. principles.”
ON Tuesday, Russia was ready to start dialogue between Venezuela’s government and the opposition “in line with U.N. principles,” while warning the United States against intervening in Caracas’ internal affairs.
“[Foreign Minister] Lavrov has warned against all interference in Venezuela’s domestic affairs, including the use of force threatened by Washington, which is in violation of international law,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “He is ready for talks regarding the Venezuelan issue in line with U.N. principles,” it added.
Meanwhile, Russia and the U.S. have drafted rival U.N. resolutions on Venezuela, reflecting the Trump administration’s support for opposition leader Juan Guaido and Moscow’s backing for democratically elected President Nicolas Maduro. The Russian draft criticizes “attempts to intervene in Venezuelan domestic affairs, expresses “concern over the threats to use force” against the country and calls for a peaceful resolution of the stalemate, while the U.S. draft called for “immediate start of a political process” for presidential elections. Neither draft resolution has been circulated to the U.N. Security Council. If they are, it is highly likely that both would be defeated — with the U.S. and Russia using their vetoes if necessary.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters late Tuesday that the U.S. draft is “completely unbalanced,” and “we thought that it was timely and appropriate to support the territorial integrity, unity, sovereignty of Venezuela.” He said the Venezuelans should solve the issue peacefully, “with not even a hint of military intervention.”
The remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed earlier this month that military intervention in Venezuela was “an option.” The Venezuelan leader began a second six-year term on Jan. 10, having won elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition and rejected by 12 Latin American nations, including Colombia and Brazil. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has largely taken the lead within the Trump administration in condemning Maduro. He called the inauguration a sham and made clear the United States did not recognize the election result.
Maduro repeated his frequent warning that a U.S. invasion is imminent. He accused U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton of overseeing a plot to replace him with a dictator. He alleged that Washington is using “dirty dollars, bled from the U.S. empire” to train 734 mercenaries in neighboring Colombia to carry out the plot.