Venezuela's opposition is calling on the United States to step up pressure on Russia over its support for socialist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the opposition's envoy to Washington said on Friday.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Photo: AFP
Carlos Vecchio, opposition leader Juan Guaido's representative to the United States, said Russia's role backing Maduro was of growing concern as OPEC member Venezuela's political crisis has dragged on.
"I request to the international community to hold accountable Russia for what they are doing in Venezuela," Vecchio told reporters in Washington. The pressure campaign, he said, should also extend to Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has helped Venezuela market its crude since Washington imposed sanctions on the South American country's state oil company PDVSA last January.
Since early last year, the United States and dozens of other countries have recognised Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president.
But Maduro remains in power, backed by the military as well as Russia, China and Cuba. A senior White House administration official told Reuters in October that President Donald Trump's frustration over the lack of results had spurred aides to ready further actions.
Vecchio's focus on Russia echoes comments by Elliott Abrams, the Trump administration's envoy on Venezuela, who told reporters earlier this week that "as the regime has become more and more desperate... they have relied more and more on Russia."
Abrams told Reuters in October that the administration was taking a "closer look" at Russia's role in helping Maduro remain in power. But since then the United States has not taken any major action against Moscow over its Venezuela ties.
Vecchio said new steps against Russia, including sanctions, should be also be taken by the European Union and the rest of the international community.
Moscow has acted as a lender of last resort for Venezuela, with the government and Rosneft providing at least $17 billion in loans and credit lines since 2006.
Guaido invoked the constitution last January to assume a rival presidency, arguing that Maduro’s 2018 re-election was a sham.
- Reuters
* This story was edited inappropriately and has been corrected. RNZ is concerned and takes this matter extremely seriously. We are investigating and have taken appropriate action.
A previous version included this sentence: Maduro remains in power, after the military stayed loyal to him despite calls for a coup, as well as Russia, China and Cuba.
That sentence has been removed and replaced with the copy supplied by Reuters: But Maduro remains in power, backed by the military as well as Russia, China and Cuba.
It also referred to US “allies” instead of “the US and other countries” recognising Guaido.