Russian foreign minister condemned “the American threats against the legitimate government” in Venezuela during a phone talk with his U.S. counterpart on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo discussed the situation in Venezuela on the phone, said a statement by the Russian foreign ministry.
Lavrov said Moscow was ready to hold bilateral talks on Venezuela with the USA, but it is necessary to strictly follow the principles of the UN Charter since only Venezuelans have the right to determine their own future.
Lavrov and Pompeo also discussed the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and other regions where the USA is pro-active.
Venezuela has been rocked by violent protests since Jan. 10, when President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.
Tensions escalated when Juan Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself acting president Jan. 23, a move which was supported by the USA and eight European and generally Latin American countries.
The US regime seized $7 billion in Venezuelan assets, while the Bank of England refused blocked the transfer of $1.2 billion in Venezuelan gold.
Turkey, Russia, Iran, Cuba, China, and Bolivia put their weight behind Maduro, who has vowed to cut all diplomatic and political ties with the USA, OAS and Colombia.
AA. com / ABC Flash Point Confiscation News 2019.Â
