Russia says will prevent US intervention in Venezuela
Russia will do all possible to prevent a US military intervention in Venezuela, the TASS news agency quoted the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament as saying yesterday.
"We are very much concerned that the USA could carry out any provocations to shed blood, to find a cause and reasons for an intervention in Venezuela," Valentina Matvienko told Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Moscow.
"But we will do all in order not to allow this," said Matvienko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
The statement came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his US counterpart that Moscow was ready to take part in bilateral talks with Washington over the issue of Venezuela.
The situation in Venezuela was the main topic in a phone call between Lavrov and Mike Pompeo that took place on March 2, Russia's foreign ministry said on its website.
"In connection with Washington's proposal to hold bilateral consultations on the Venezuelan topic, it was stated that Russia is ready to participate in this," the ministry said in a statement.
It was "vital to be strictly guided by the principles of the UN Charter since only the Venezuelan people have the right to determine their future," the statement said.
Russia and the United States have been at loggerheads over a US-led campaign for international recognition of Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader who declared himself the interim head of state, over President Nicholas Maduro.
In the phone call, initiated by the United States, Lavrov condemned the threats that Washington made towards "the country's lawful leadership," the ministry said, referring to Maduro.
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