Russia: U.S. is preparing military intervention in Venezuela

World
Europe

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 in a political crisis since opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself as the interim president of the country in January.

The 35-year-old politician quickly won the support of the U.S. and the latter's Western allies, along with some Latin American countries including Colombia, Argentina and Brazil.

Maduro has called Guaido's move "unconstitutional," condemned the U.S. intervention and vowed to defend his country's sovereignty.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with his wife Cilia Flores (L), addresses a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, February 23, 2019. /VCG Photo

Russia has promised to do everything to support "the lawful government of Maduro."

China has reaffirmed its opposition against foreign interference in Venezuela's internal affairs, and called for a political solution through consultation and dialogue.

"The United States is preparing a military invasion of an independent state," Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, was quoted as saying in an interview with weekly newspaper Argumenty i Fakty.

"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 in the interview 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.

(With inputs from Reuters)

(Cover: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (R) during a meeting of Lima Group in Bogota, Colombia, February 25, 2019. /VCG Photo)