The United States warned that Venezuela's crisis was worsening and could escalate into a major conflict similar to Syria or South Sudan at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
The death of a 15-year-old boy brought the toll from weeks of protests in Venezuela to 43, as clashes between government forces and opposition demonstrators angry at President Nicolas Maduro's handling of an economic and political crisis mounted.
Burnt police motorcycles during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Palmira, Venezuela on May 16, 2017. /VCG Photo
"This isn't getting better, it's getting worse, and what we are trying to say is the international community needs to say 'respect the human rights of your people' or this is going to go in the direction we've seen so many others go," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters following Security Council talks.
The United States requested the closed-door consultations on Venezuela despite objections from some council members who insisted the crisis was not a threat to international security.
Haley said the US decision to raise Venezuela at the Security Council was aimed at conflict prevention and to ensure that the top UN body was paying attention to the crisis.
"We've been down this road – with Syria, with the DPRK, with South Sudan, with Burundi, with Burma. We've been down this road," Haley said. "Why not get in front of this? Why not try to stop a problem before it starts?"
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a Council of Ministers meeting at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela on May 16, 2017. /VCG Photo
Venezuela deploys troops in unrest
Rejecting the US action at the UN, Venezuela accused Washington of meddling in its domestic affairs. "Venezuela will resolve its own internal problems. We will do it ourselves," Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Ramirez told reporters after the Security Council meeting. "We will not accept interference."
Venezuela's government said Wednesday it was sending troops to a region rocked by violence during anti-government protests.
Looting and attacks against security installations erupted overnight in the state of Tachira, which borders Colombia, authorities said.
"I have ordered the transfer of 2,000 guards and 600 special operations troops" to Tachira, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on state television channel VTV.
Opposition supporters participate in a candlelight rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela on May 17, 2017. /VCG Photo
China believes Venezuelans can properly handle domestic affairs
China has repeatedly stressed that the key to end the crisis is in the hands of the Venezuelan people.
"My colleagues and I have said before that peace and stability of a country is a blessing for its people," Geng Shuang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said earlier this month. "The key to resolving the current issue in Venezuela is in the hands of the people in Venezuela."
China sincerely hopes and believes that the Venezuelan people "will properly handle their domestic affairs and maintain stability and development of the country," he added.
Venezuelan opposition activists protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela on May 15, 2017. /VCG Photo
Brazil preparing for possible influx of Venezuelan refugees
Meanwhile, Brazil is concerned about growing numbers of refugees spilling over its border from Venezuela and is creating a plan to deal with a possible mass influx if the crisis in Venezuela worsens, Brazilian Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said on Wednesday.
"Evidently we are worried and our biggest concern is the humanitarian situation," Jungmann told reporters. "We need to have a contingency plan in place to handle this if things get worse."
More than 6,000 Venezuelans cross the border every day looking to buy food and medicine, and most go back but others stay and look for work, the minister said.
The government of the border state of Roraima said that 30,000 refugees have arrived since Venezuela's political and economic crisis became acute last year.
(Source: agencies)
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